James Reese Europe collection

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Description: James Reese Europe was an accomplished musician, composer, conductor, organizer, and recording artist. The collection primarily consists of photocopied secondary sources, newspaper clippings, and programs collected by James R. Europe, Jr. to document his father's accomplishments.
Names: Europe, James R. (James Reese), 1917-2001 (Collector)
Dates / Origin: Date Created: 1847 - 1996
Library locations: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division; Shelf locator: Sc MG 616
Topics: Badger, Reid; Sissle, Noble, 1889-1975; Europe's Society Orchestra; Jim Europe's 369th Infantry Band; Jim Europe's Four Harmony Kings; Jim Europe's Singing Serenaders; United States. Army; African American conductors (Music); African American entertainers; African American musicians -- Societies, etc -- New York (State); African American soldiers; African Americans -- Music; Popular music -- United States; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American; Europe, James Reese, 1881-1919
Genres: Documents; Clippings
Notes: Biographical/historical: James Reese Europe was an accomplished musician, composer, conductor, organizer, and recording artist. In 1902, at the age of twenty-one, he relocated to New York City and shortly thereafter organized the Clef Club, a union of black musicians and booking agency, as well as a fraternal-like group. In 1912, the Clef Club Orchestra, under the direction of Europe, held a concert in Carnegie Hall that gained the recognition and respect of a primarily white elite audience. From 1914 to 1916, Europe's Society Orchestra toured throughout the United States and overseas with Vernon and Irene Castle, a husband and wife dance team. During World War I, Europe enlisted in the armed services as a private, passed an officer's exam, and became a lieutenant. As an officer he was assigned to the New York 15th Infantry in Harlem and was told to form a band. On New Year's day 1918, Europe and the band traveled to France and were assigned combat duty under French command. Europe thus became the first African-American officer to lead combat troops into battle. The New York 15th Infantry was later renamed the 369th Infantry, also known as the Harlem Hellfighters. The French also credited Europe with introducing a form of music that later became known as jazz. After World War I ended, Europe returned to the U.S. where he died in 1919, after a backstage altercation with Herbert Wright, (a drummer in his band) who stabbed him in the neck and severed an artery.; Content: This collection primarily consists of photocopied secondary sources, newspaper clippings, and programs collected by James R. Europe, Jr., to document his father's accomplishments. The contents also include bibliographies; magazine articles; a chronology of the Europe family from 1847 to 1947; a folder of WWI records, with Europe's military discharge records; a certified copy of the incorporation of the Clef Club of New York City; the Memoirs of Lieutenant Jim Europe, by Noble Sissle, 1920, (which are actually reminiscences about Europe by Sissle); and excerpts from a biography, James Reese Europe: A Life in Racetime, written by Reid Badger in 1995.
Physical Description: Extent: 2 boxes 0.83 linear feet
Type of Resource: Text
Identifiers: Other local Identifier: Sc MG 616; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b16109024; MSS Unit ID: 20906; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): 0db55430-b0a6-013b-d09e-0242ac110003

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James Reese Europe collection

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