Powered By Black History: Louis Armstrong

Mr. Louis Daniel “Stachmo” Armstrong may very well be the most influential figure in the history of Black, and therefore, American music (shouts to Scott Joplin).

Born August 4th 1901, Louie came up tough in the Battlefield section of Rampart Street in the Crescent City.  He mastered his trumpet but customized his presentation with eclectic skat improvisation and later rough, gravely vocals.

Americans were lucky to witness Satchmo as he traveled through Chicago, then to New York and Los Angeles. As his fame grew, he traveled the world inspiring millions until his transition July 6th 1971.

His reach was too broad for one article but I’ll mention just few of the prominent Americans he influenced and built with.

The list includes King Oliver, Duke Ellington, Sidney Bechet, Ma Reney, Langston Hughes, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Lionel Hampton to name a few. He also owned his own baseball team.

Interestingly enough he had business ties from Al Capone to Walt Disney. Of course this is Blax Radio so we definitely recognize his importance as the first Black Man to host a national broadcast which occurred in 1937 on CBS airwaves.

Enjoy these works and photos and reflect on his spirit especially during Black History Month.