James Hubert “Eubie” Blake(1887-1983) teams up with Noble Sissle (1889-1975) to launch the first All African American Broadway production, Shuffle Along. It becomes a major hit running for 504 performances and introducing future stars Josephine Baker and Paul Robeson.
Eubie Blake is born to formerly enslaved parents in Baltimore and shows an early ability as a pianist. He becomes a pioneer in ragtime, jazz and popular music and is an active artist for nine decades. He is particularly popular because of his strong connections to the beginnings of jazz music. He receives a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan in 1981 for his contributions as a musician.
