Hey, Charleston! The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band
Think about doing the Charleston and images of flappers may dance in one’s head. But the song and dance originated with an African American orphanage band in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early twentieth century. Reverend Daniel Joseph Jenkins asked for old instruments—many of them Civil War relics—and hired music teachers in the hopes his charges could learn to perform, and did they ever! He eventually sent them to New York City, where their style of African-influenced song and dance caught on big-time. They traveled all over, including London on the eve of World War I. When war broke out, Reverend Jenkins gave the money they’d earned to stranded Americans so they could purchase tickets back home on the same ship carrying the band. Once the ship reached the safety of American waters, the now familiar call rang out, “Hey Charleston! Give us some rag!” An engaging, informative picture book narrative is followed by an author’s note and selected bibliography. ©2013 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Illustrated by Colin Bootman
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
20th Century
African Americans
History (Nonfiction)
Music and Musicians
Orphans
U.S. History
World War I
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Carolrhoda
Publish Year: 2013
Pages: 32
ISBN: 9780761355656
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 784