James Alan Bland (1854 - 1911)

Born 22 Oct 1854 in Flushing, Queens, New York, United States

Died 5 May 1911 at age 56 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

James Bland is Notable.

James Alan Bland, also known as Jimmy Bland, was an American musician, song writer, and minstrel performer.^[1]

James Alan Bland was born on October 22, 1854 in Flushing, New York to a free family. His father was Allen W. Bland was one of the first African Americans to graduate college (Oberlin College, 1845) and mother was Lydia Ann Cromwell. He was educated in Washington, D.C., attending Howard University, but was forced to leave in 1873 because of his involvement with theatrical shows, which was forbidden to the institution's students at the time. He was a musician, song writer and minstrel performer, best known for the song "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" which was the official State Song of Virginia from 1940 to 1997. He toured the United States as well as Europe and was invited to give command performance for Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. He spent his later years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and died there from tuberculosis on May 5, 1911. he was buried at Merion Memorial Park, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

James Bland was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. A housing project in Flushing, Queens is named after him as well.

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Bland

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7478593/james-alan-bland: accessed 30 August 2022), memorial page for James Alan Bland (12 Oct 1854–6 May 1911), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7478593, citing Merion Memorial Park, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave .
• Additional information can be found in a Master's Thesis. "James Alan Bland" in the Howard University Library, Washington, D.C., by Lewis H. Bland, dated 1968.