[Justin Holland; Photo Courtesy Douglas Back]
Around The Neck
Since we celebrate all that Martin Luther King Jr. did today, I thought we would look at a very unknown African American guitarist named Justin Holland. He was a revolutionary way ahead of his time. He lived from 1819 to 1887. Douglas Back writes in the liner notes of his recording American Pioneers of the Classic Guitar:
More than just a successful musician, Holland was also a dedicated humanitarian who worked all his life to promote and advance the causes of his race. Adopting the principles that education and assimilation were the best methods of overcoming racial barriers and prejudices, he immersed himself in the Eurocentric middle class culture of the day.
More information can be found on Justin Holland at: http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/holland.html
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