by Paul R. Spitzzeri
Kate Bradley Stovall’s essay, covering nearly a full page of a special section devoted to Black residents of Los Angeles in that city’s Times of 12 February 1909, on African-American women, includes among its subheadings one that was “Lovers of Art.” Here, Stovall observed that “no woman in Los Angeles has given to her work more dignity, or made greater financial success than has Mrs. Nannie Reynolds Holt (1864-1943), the caterest,” this last word meaning “caterer.”
Adding that Holt, born in Canada and a migrant to California in 1886, was in the business a decade by that point, the writer added that “during the visit of the late President McKinley, Mrs. Holt successfully managed every large social function given in his honor” and that the chief executive, assassinated later in that year of 1901, “personally congratulated her on the skillful management and beautiful arrangements of these affairs.”
Holt also provided catering for 800 guests when a Navy fleet visited Los Angeles, this perhaps being a major visit in 1907, while “she gives employment to from twenty to thirty-five members of her race” in addition to her services “for the members of the most exclusive circles in Los Angeles and the surrounding cities.” She was also recognized for her devotion to art and her paintings, including one of El Capital at Yosemite and which was exhibited at the World’s Fair at St. Louis in 1904.
What was not mentioned was that the catering business was operated with her husband, James Lincoln Holt (1866-1937), and both were parishioners of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church. When Nannie died, flowers were sent by the wives of oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny, auto dealer Earl C. Anthony and the Van Nuys family.
For her stellar stenographic work, Helen Warner-Warren was mentioned as having practiced her profession for lawyers and bankers with an office in the city’s Bullard Block (on the site previously occupied by Jonathan Temple’s Market House, long the County Courthouse.) Warner-Warren also did post-graduate work at commercial schools as testament to the success of her business.
Stovall also remarked on the fact that “in the world of music the negro woman in Los Angeles and vicinity has faithfully studied and accompanied much” and turned to Laura Brown, who graduated with a music degree in 1894 from the University of Southern California. It was added that, “her method of instruction has been an inspiration to her pupils, and many of them have made brilliant records for themselves in music.”
This included Floyd Dunston, who studied nearly a decade with her and who wrote hundreds of songs, some published, before he died while studying in Berlin, where he was one of only 30 admitted to the conservatory from 150 applicants. Estelle Roberts, whose brother Fred went to be a prominent political figure in Black Los Angeles, was taught by Brown for seven years and was then at the Chicago conservatory studying voice.
Viola Spikes Kitchen, a pianist, “a musician of rare ability” also studied in Chicago, where it was remarked that her “technique is perfect, and her expression about the average” as well as at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City. The native of Dallas recently had a recital at the auditorium of the Gamut Club of musical aficionados, which was well received. Her brothers, John and Benjamin, known as “Reb,” were prominent musicians, bandleaders and songwriters, as well as owners of a music store on Central Avenue, the commercial thoroughfare in the burgeoning Black section of Los Angeles.
Anna Dugged Owens, who married the well-known Robert C. Owens, grandson of Biddy Mason (featured in part ten of this post), “devoted many years of ardent study to the cultivation of her remarkably strong, clear voice.” In fact, she drew the attention of the internationally known operatic singer, Ellen Beach Yaw (who long resided in the West Covina area) and who told an interviewer that Owens “had a most beautiful, natural voice” and that she “would meet with great success as a grand opera singer.” Stovall continued that,
Miss Yaw was very enthusiastic in her praise of Mrs. Owens’s devotion to the study of music, and hoped personally to see her appear in a well-organized company of grand opera singers, composed of the members of the negro race.
Owens was also known for her philanthropy and “encouraged and assisted several girls of her race through school” while adjudged “the social leader among her people in Los Angeles.” This included the hosting of Booker T. Washington and his wife when the noted Black figure visited the Angel City.
It was added that the Owens house reflected “her refined and artistic taste” and included a fine library, while her two daughters were also mentioned as sharing their mother’s love of study and travel. Tragically, Robert Owens, in an emotional spiral due to family and financial problems, went on a rampage in early 1932, killing Anna, a son-in-law and then turning the gun on himself in a tragedy that rocked the African-American community in the city.
Next for Stovall was a discussion of “The Rising Generation” in the musical field, observing that, “Los Angeles and the surrounding cities contain a surprising large number of young women” studying the art, including Bessie Williams who was “an ardent student of the violin” and who went on to open a studio teaching music. It was added that she was growing quickly in her studies, though just 18 and a student at Los Angeles Polytechnic High School when a local paper “predicted for her a brilliant future.”
In her 90s, Bessie, who married Sidney Dones, a prominent realtor and builder of the Booker T. Washington Building (later the Tokio Hotel) at Central Avenue and 10th Street, was interviewed by Betty Yarbrough Cox, music educator and founder of BEEM (Black Experience as Expressed through Music) and shared recollections of her life and work.
A native of Detroit, whose mother sang with the renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers and whose father’s basso voice made him a noted dramatic reader, Los Angeles High School senior (it has been said she was the first Black student at the school), Florence Cole (misspelled “Coles” in the article) started her study of music with the piano before turning to the organ, while also developing her soprano singing voice. Cole was a member of her school’s girls’ glee club and also was the first African-American performer at a graduation ceremony.
She went on to study music, specifically oratorio, at the University of Southern California and toured with Hahn’s Jubilee Singers, marrying its pianist. Although that was a short relationship, she kept the surname of Talbert. In Chicago, she attended a music college and became the first Black student to perform in its programs, while graduating with high honors. Her singing, as the first African-American soprano in grand opera, took her to cities around the country and then in Europe, where her operatic performances were very well received.
Known as Florence McCleave, after marrying a dentist and doctor, she also recorded and was important in music education, teaching at colleges, including in Texas, and, particularly, Memphis, where, she is a member of that city’s music hall of fame. Today, Opera Memphis has a McCleave Project in her honor, with fellowships for conductors and directors of color. Though she died in Memphis, McCleave was buried with her family at Evergreen Cemetery in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles and is remembered as a legendary figure and, for the Black community, “Our Divine Florence.”
After briefly mentioning five other local African-American women noted for their musical endeavors, Stovall addressed religion and remarked that,
Proportionally speaking, Los Angeles has a larger number of negro women who have consecrated their lives to religious work than any other city in the West.
Nancy Tibbitt, whose mother Edith was a mainstay at the Wesley Chapel, became a missionary, after her mother’s influence, in Africa after her marriage and a wealthy white woman in northern California donated $5,000 for the work that Nancy and her husband did for eight years in Liberia, the nation founded by former American slaves in the 1820s.
When her spouse became ill, Nancy, with him and their daughter, returned to Los Angeles and, after his death, returned to Africa and missionary work, while enrolling her 8-year old child in a training program. This led Stovall to write, “let us pause for a moment in adoration for this Godly mother, whose good works are being carried out even unto the third generation.”
Observing that “right here in Los Angeles we have a band of women who are devoting every moment of their time to rescue and jail work,” following in the footsteps of Biddy Mason, Stovall commented that “foremost among these is dear old Mother Norris,” of whom it was said,
Any day on the streets of the city may be seen the smiling, infinitely calm face of this dear motherly woman, going here and there with a message of peace and good will for all mankind. She visits the inmates of the prisons and helps needy men and women wherever they are found. And now Mother Norris and several other of this band are planning the erection of a deaconess home and hospital [likely an African Methodist Episcopal Church project].
Also praised was Josephine Leavell Allensworth, who worked with her husband, Col. Allen Allensworth on the Black colony in the San Joaquin Valley that was the topic of a recent post here. Stovall noted that, when he retired from Army service, Josephine and their daughters, Eva and Nella (this last was married to Louis Blodgett, mentioned with her, in a post on this blog about his brother, contractor Charles Blodgett) were honored “for their effectual Christian work” by the men in his company. As one instance, Josephine raised funds to help support the families of soldiers who were stationed in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War, while she also was the organist at church services for a decade and helped plan social events.
Under the heading of “Work For Charity,” Stovall remarked that “the Episcopal Church is establishing industrial work for the negro youths of this city,” with Maggie Sanford organizing sewing circles in which she was “teaching the girls of her race to sew and to neatly make their own clothing.”
Maggie Scott Nelson, whose husband Thomas was the first Black doctor to earn a medical degree on the Pacific Coast and who was the daughter and niece of prominent AME pastors, was highlighted for a decade of work with Sunday Schools as well as being “the instigator of the day nursery idea for the Negro Nursery Association.”
Under the auspices of the Wesley Chapel, the Woman’s Day Nursery Association of Los Angeles was created at the beginning of 1907, as it was observed that,
Many women of the race are compelled to be away from their homes during the entire day. The nursery association plans to care for these children in a comfortable home, send them to the nearest public school and give them their lunch and a light supper for a nominal fee. Otherwise, not a few of these children would be left to the evil influence of the street.
A house was acquired in what is now an industrial section south of Olympic Boulevard, east of Alameda Street and north of Interstate 10 and the organization planned to open the nursery there as well as “carefully select a matron, and establish and maintain a well-regulated playground.” Also discussed by Stovall was a nursery Child Study Circle, headed by Estella C. Walker and assisted by Secretary Lilly Russell and Treasurer Mary Jane Sellers, this latter identified as “the power behind the throne in the management of the financial affairs of the club.” In fact, Sellers left behind a sizable bequest to the nursery on her death several years later.
The institution finally opened in October 1913, though the Los Angeles Tribune of the 29th decided to remark that “the first day nursery in Los Angeles that will admit pickannines [sic] was opened yesterday.” In its 5 April 1914 edition, the paper did run a positive feature about the nursery, which looks to have operated for close to two decades. We’ll look to feature the organization in a future post here, perhaps in June.
We’ll return with the remaining portions from Stovall’s remarkable essay, so be sure to check back in with us for that.