Jazz immortal Ella Fitzgerald in a Houston jail cell in Oct. 1955, set up by the cops...

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Tony McGee
@mctony
RT @stevesilberman: #Jazz immortal Ella Fitzgerald in a Houston jail cell in Oct. 1955, set up by the cops for playing a show with Dizzy Gillespie and Illinois Jacquet for an integrated audience. A fascinating, tragic story. https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vol-8-no-1-Illinois-Jacquet.pdf…
Image
2:30 PM · Jan 1, 2021

https://houstonhistorymagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/vol-8-no-1-Illinois-Jacquet.pdf

The integration of Houston jazz audiences followed a route of unexpected twists and turns that included the Catholic Church and the arrest of two jazz legends—singer Ella Fitzgerald and jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. The man behind this mayhem was Jean- Baptiste Illinois Jacquet, a tenor saxophonist from Houston, Texas.

Born in Broussard, Louisiana, in 1922, Jacquet moved to Houston’s Sixth Ward with his family at six months old. His mother was a Sioux Indian, and his nickname, Illinois, came from the Indian word “Illiniwek,” which means superior men.1 Playing music ran in his family, with both his father and grandfather playing multiple instruments, and he counted his siblings among some of the many music teachers throughout his life. At age three, Illinois, one of six children, began tap dancing with his siblings for his father’s band and later played drums in the Gilbert Jacquet band until he discovered his true love, the saxophone. Illinois Jacquet went to Phillis Wheatley High School in the Fifth Ward and could not wait to start playing in the marching band, which, like the foot- ball team, rivaled Jack Yates High School in the Third Ward.

Discussing his time in Houston during segregation, Jacquet recalled, “When I was here I didn’t even know there was segregation in Houston until I would leave school or some- thing and go downtown, and I’d see the signs because Phillis Wheatley was such a school [that] there was
so much happening . . . they were winners in football team, basketball team, track. We had the best band at Phillis Wheatley, the better-looking girls, and they were light, just like white girls. They were black. They were all kinds. We didn’t think about segregation at that time. We didn’t realize that was really happening be- cause we had such a great band, you know. . . .” As Jacquet grew older, he began noticing signs of segrega- tion, but he maintained his focus on learning to play music and getting an education.2

By contrast, Catholicism, Jacquet explained, influenced integration of audiences and the jazz scene, both in Louisiana and Houston. In Louisiana, when bands would make their way through the state en route to New Orleans, Kansas City, or Texas, the Catholic churches would give them a place to stop and host dances. The Catholic Church, Jacquet said, “played a big role in jazz music, which probably had never been recorded in history.” Jacquet attended St. Nicholas Catholic Church, a black congregation in the Third Ward, where Father Shepherd hosted similar dances on Sundays. Jacquet remembered the integrated audiences for the Sunday dances, “The white people want[ed] to come. They want[ed] to hear the music. There was no one going to stop them . . .” He reminisced, “And I grew up under that influence . . .”3

*snip*

[central scrutinizer]

1. Interesting historical intersection

https://www.knkx.org/post/how-marilyn-monroe-changed-ella-fitzgeralds-life

During the ‘50s, one of the most popular venues was Mocambo in Hollywood. Frank Sinatra made his Los Angeles debut at Mocambo in 1943, and it was frequented by the likes of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Lana Turner.

Fitzgerald was not allowed to play at Mocambo because of her race. Then, one of her biggest fans made a telephone call that quite possibly changed the path of her career for good. Here, she tells the story of how Marilyn Monroe changed her life:

“I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt … she personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night. She told him – and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status – that the press would go wild.

“The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman – a little ahead of her times. And she didn’t know it."

[iluvtennis]

6. Had read this about Marilyn Monroe opening the door for Ella Fitzgerald in the white club. Marilyn

was a good human being. Thanks for sharing.

[Ferrets are Cool]

15. Thank you for sharing that.

[OAITW r.2.0]

2. I did not know...and I am stunned I didn't.....thanks for posting. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. This is both informative and sickening at the same time. Although I was quite young, I remember...

the signs at the bus station with colored and white waiting rooms, water fountains & bathrooms. I was about 9 y.o. when schools integrated, but like most black children my age, we heard the horror stories/warnings from our parents. I can't help but be anything other than grateful to my ancestors for the indignities they suffered, and for those white people who aided us in the fight against racial inequality & bigotry.

[groundloop]

17. I too remember seeing signs for "Colored" and "White" bathrooms when I was a kid.

I was maybe 7 or 8, and this was when we were travelling in Florida. I just didn't understand why there were different bathrooms depending on what color your skin was.

One incident that still stands out was when I was in kindergarten (in Michigan) walking home from school one day. I was playing with a girl in my class having a grand time playing tag etc. until her bigger sister scolded her for playing with a white boy. I ran home crying because I couldn't play with my friend.

Anyway, I've always loved Ella Fitzgerald's music (was lucky enough to see her perform once), yet had never heard of her getting thrown in jail nor the role that Marilyn Monroe played in advancing her career.

[Tarheel_Dem]

19. Like you, this story was quite new to me as well. I'm sure you grew to learn that the scolding....

sister meant no harm to you, but was merely afraid for her sibling. The ironic thing for me is that once we got used to integration, despite my family's trepidations, some of my best lifelong friends are white. What's even more ironic is that we seem to be regressing. I can't tell you the number of white people I know who have fled the public school system for private or parochial schools. It's as if the gains we made back then have suffered a backlash. It's really sad and regressive.

[bronxiteforever]

4. Thank you for posting! I learned a new thing but

it was the same old story

[burrowowl]

5. Very interesting slice of history!

[cilla4progress]

7. This adds a dimension to a film we streamed last night -

If Beale Street Could Talk.

Excellent film!

[mountain grammy]

8. Wonderful story.. thanks for posting.

[OAITW r.2.0]

9. Reason 4,785,922 why I love DU.

The number of times I learned something new over the past 20 years.....

[cwydro]

10. That picture sickens me.

I read about this some time ago, but had forgotten.

Good for you to post it.

[jmbar2]

11. First I've heard of this

The photo is simply heartbreaking. She was a genius.

[JI7]

12. Those are the 50s the right wing wants back

[Hugin]

13. They tried to gig Stormy with a similar cop scam...

Fortunately, she cleared the fence.

[Ferrets are Cool]

14. And THIS is what MAGA really means

[Hugin]

16. I was able to chat with Dizzy Gillespie for quite awhile in a green room once.

One of my favorite memories.

[smirkymonkey]

18. She looks so sad in that photograph. It makes me sick that this ever happened to her.

Ella is one of my top 10 favorite artists of all time. Often, Ella and Louis sing me to sleep many nights, or at least try to.

Make no mistake, this is what the Trump/MAGA crowd wants to have back. We can never turn the clock back to the days when this was acceptable or legal.