Cabell Calloway Research Paper

After growing up having a privileged life and going on to pursuing his dream, African American singer Cabell “Cab” Calloway devoted his professional life to entertaining his audience to a great extent and putting international spotlight on “The New Negro.” Indeed, Calloway stands as a monument against the popular stereotype of catastrophic black jazz musicians being tormented by racism and drug addiction. Even though Calloway was exposed to these social struggles, he was eventually able to overcome them by focusing on the integrity of his music. As Calloway reported in a 1990 Chicago Tribune interview, “ you tried to concentrate on your performance and tried to forget that there were hardly any blacks in the audience.” It was this kind of determination,
Whether it was working as a stable boy, handing out newspapers or shining shoes Calloway always had a strong desire to succeed. Calloway grew up in a highly segregated Baltimore that denied black workers access to qualified jobs. Restrictive covenants keep blacks from buying houses in many neighborhoods. Theatres, restaurants and even department stores required them to use the back entrance. Even with this, Calloway wrote in his autobiography, Minnie the Moocher and me, “ White people have given me hell over the years but it wasn’t so bad when we were kids,” he wrote “ All of us black kids went to all-black schools and we lived in streets that were black. When we played with white boys, it was because we wanted to, not because we had to. And there was very little social mixing in Baltimore.” Young Calloway even owned a car in high school, a used 1923 Oldsmobile he’d bought while he was working. This action was a rarity in the era, particularly for a black man. While in high school, he joined the Baltimore Melody Boys group and developed a unique vocal style under the influence of jazz singer William “Chick”