Who is james bland

Bland was born in Flushing, New York on October 22, to educated, free parents. He briefly studied at Howard University in Washington, D. A self-taught banjo player, Bland initially sought work at clubs and hotels and then turned his attention to composition and minstrel entertainment. In the late s, Bland began his professional career as a member of the first successful all-black minstrel company, the Georgia Minstrels. Bland used the minstrel show as a platform for introducing his composed work.

Almost thirty years after his death, Virginia adopted it as its official state song. The series originally premiered on the Issa Rae YouTube Channel, but has since made the jump to broadcast television — becoming one of the first scripted series on Cleo TV, a new cable network from TV One.

It was the only digital series to be honored with a Voice Award for its contribution to behavioral health understanding. He began his professional career working under producers and creative executives at Sony Screen Gems. Hollywood Icons, Then and Now. Share this page:. Around The Web Provided by Taboola. Create a list ». Black Directors See all related lists ».

Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDb page. Find out more at IMDbPro ». How Much Have You Seen? How much of James Bland's work have you seen? See more awards ». Known For. They were very popular and were highlighted before Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. Penniless, he managed to return to the U. From there he moved to Philadelphia, PA, where he died from tuberculosis on May 5, James Bland was buried in an unmarked grave in a part of the negro cemetery in Merion, PA.