Nathaniel Clark Smith (often Major N. Clark Smith; July 31, 1877 – October 8, 1935) was an important

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

musician, composer, and music educator in the United States during the early decades of the 1900s. Born on the Army base at

Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, Smith began his music education very early organizing bands in Wichita starting in 1893. His strict military style leadership led to prominence and over the next 30 years he would lead bands in Chicago, Wichita, Kansas City, the Tuskegee Institute, and in St. Louis. He was an important educator for many of the prominent early

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

musicians from Kansas City, Chicago, and St. Louis. He died in 1935 as the result of a stroke. Many primary documents about Smith's life have been lost as a result of a fire that destroyed most of his personal documents.

Early life

Nathaniel Clark Smith was born July 31, 1877 (or possibly in 1866) in

to Dan and Maggie Smith. His father was an Army Trumpeter at the fort. His mother was half

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

. At Fort Leavenworth, he learned music under the German bandleader H.E. Gungle who identified Smith's talent and encouraged him to continue his musical education. After finishing formal education, he worked briefly in

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

in the publishing industry before beginning service in the Army at

Fort Sill Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark a ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

as an Army trumpeter in 1891. However, eye problems prevented him from pursuing a military career, so he moved with his wife, Laura Smith (née Lawson), to

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the List of cities in Kansas, most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 397, ...

in 1893. Smith claimed that his father knew

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. He was the most impor ...

and that at the age of eight the younger Smith accompanied Douglass in playing the famous

Negro spiritual Spirituals (also known as Negro spirituals, African American spirituals, Black spirituals, or spiritual music) is a genre of Christian music that is associated with African Americans, which merged varied African cultural influences with the exp ...

, and song that would become a famous arrangement of Smith's, '' Steal Away to Jesus.''

Bandleader

Wherever he moved, Smith would organize a variety of different bands and choirs. These included beginner bands, youth touring bands, choral societies, and even symphony orchestras. He began organizing bands in Wichita where one of the bands was selected to attend the

1893 Chicago World's Fair The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in Chicago from May 5 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The ce ...

. While in Chicago with the band Smith signed an agreement with

Lyon & Healy Lyon & Healy Harps, Inc. is an American musical instrument manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois and is a subsidiary of Salvi Harps, but also has a layered corporate structure. Today best known for concert harps, the company's Chicago headquar ...

to work in their music publications division by organizing a number of bands and choruses. For this job, he moved to Chicago where he started a number of bands. In addition, he led the band for the Eighth Illinois Infantry unit for four years. During this time, he went with the infantry unit to the front lines in the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

where he met Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt at the

Battle of San Juan Hill The Battle of San Juan Hill (), also known as the Battle for the San Juan Heights, was a major battle of the Spanish–American War fought between an American force under the command of William Rufus Shafter and Joseph Wheeler against a Span ...

. His military rank and promotion during this period are not precisely clear, however, it is generally contended that during this period he achieved the rank of

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

in the United States Army. While living in Chicago he studied at the

Chicago Musical College Chicago Musical College is a division of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago, Illinois, United States. History Founding Dr. Florenz Ziegfeld Sr (1841–1923), founded the college in 1867 as the Chicag ...

, where he had to register as a "private student" to attend classes at the otherwise all white school. It was during this time in Chicago that his daughter Anna was born. He returned to Kansas City in 1898 in order to lead a youth band on an 18-month tour of Europe and Australia which would include a performance at the

1900 Paris Exposition The Exposition Universelle of 1900 (), better known in English as the 1900 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 14 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate develop ...

. After touring, Smith returned and continued forming and leading bands in Chicago and Wichita until 1905. In that year, Teddy Roosevelt convinced him to become the bandleader at the

Tuskegee Institute Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU; formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute) is a Private university, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It was f ...

led by

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, and orator. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the primary leader in the African-American community and of the contemporary Black elite#United S ...

. To honor his new institution, he composed the ''Tuskegee Institute March''. After eight years at the Tuskegee Institute, Smith decided to leave because of a rumored disagreement between him and Washington about the number of plantation songs in his orchestral arrangements. Once again, his connection with Teddy Roosevelt led him to accept a position to head the military and music departments at the Western Baptist University in Kansas City in 1913. His rigorous instruction and strong results led to Smith leaving the university to join the Lincoln High School in Kansas City in 1916. Although his instruction was quite strict, he began encouraging students to experiment with the developing new musical genre of Jazz. He moved again in 1922 to become the bandleader at the

Wendell Phillips Academy High School Wendell Phillips Academy High School is a public 4–year high school located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in September 1904, Phillips is part of the Chicago Public Schools distric ...

in Chicago. At each place he moved, Smith was noted for organizing many bands in the area including the first African-American symphony orchestra, a number of women's choruses and bands, and youth bands (including the

Chicago Defender ''The Chicago Defender'' is a Chicago-based online African-American newspaper. It was founded in 1905 by Robert S. Abbott and was once considered the "most important" newspaper of its kind. Abbott's newspaper reported and campaigned against Jim ...

's Newsboys Band, which included a young

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

). In 1931, he moved again to begin teaching at Sumner High School in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

. Although he continued organizing a number of community bands and musical societies, it was in St. Louis that his work achieved the most wide success. His composition ''Negro Folk Suite'' won the Wannamaker Prize in 1932 and was performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra that same year. During the same period, CBS Radio broadcast a weekly program from 1933 until 1935 titled ''St. Louis Blues'' with Smith as the bandleader.

Death and legacy

Smith returned to Kansas City in 1935. After attending the

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...

versus

King Levinsky King Levinsky (10 September 1910 – 30 September 1991), also known as Kingfish Levinsky, was an American heavyweight boxer who fought during the 1930s. He was born as Harris Kraków and was a member of the Kraków fish-selling family of Maxwel ...

boxing match in Chicago in August 1935 and returning home to Kansas City, he suffered a stroke. He died on October 8, 1935. The University of Missouri-Kansas City page about Smith calls him "America's Greatest Colored Bandmaster" and his legacy was significant on African-American music and particularly on jazz. He was very rigorous and strict with his musical instruction. One student,

Harlan Leonard Harlan Leonard (July 2, 1905 – November 10, 1983) was an American jazz bandleader and clarinetist from Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Leonard was born in Kansas City in 1905. A professional musician from the age of 17, he joined Bennie ...

explained that Smith was "short, gruff, military in bearing, wore glasses and was never without his full uniform and decorations. His language was rather rough and occasionally shocking to the few young ladies who were taking music classes, though never offensive." The students he instructed who went on to have significant musical careers include: * Lammar Wright, Sr. *

Walter Page Walter Sylvester Page (February 9, 1900 – December 20, 1957) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, best known for his groundbreaking work as a double bass player with Walter Page's Blue Devils and the Count Basie Orchest ...

* Eddie Cole, brother of

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

and Ike Cole *

Milt Hinton Milton John Hinton (June 23, 1910 – December 19, 2000) was an American double bassist and photographer. Regarded as the Dean of American jazz bass players, his nicknames included "Sporty" from his years in Chicago, "Fump" from his time on the ...

Ray Nance Ray Willis Nance (December 10, 1913 – January 28, 1976) was an American jazz trumpeter, violinist and singer. He is best remembered for his long association with Duke Ellington and his orchestra. Early years Nance was born in Chicago on D ...

* Jimmy Forrest * Jessalyn Coleman * Roberta Dodd Crawford *

Quinn Wilson Quinn Brown Wilson (December 26, 1908 – June 14, 1978) was an American jazz bassist and tubist. Wilson played violin as a child, and studied composition and arrangement in his youth. He had his first professional experience in the mid-1920s, ...

Hayes Alvis Hayes Alvis (May 1, 1907 – December 29, 1972) was an American jazz bassist and tuba player. Career Alvis began on drums but switched to tuba and bass after playing with Jelly Roll Morton in 1927–1928. He played tuba with Earl Hines from 192 ...

Ernie Wilkins Ernest Brooks Wilkins Jr. (July 20, 1922 – June 5, 1999) was an American jazz saxophonist, conductor and arranger who spent several years with Count Basie. He also wrote for Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Dizzy Gillespie. He was musical direct ...

* Pauline James Lee – who would become the President of the Chicago University of Music Smith composed almost 100 works and many of these and his other arrangements are notable. Many involved creating musical accompaniment for Negro spirituals and plantation songs. The list of notable compositions include: * ''Steal Away to Jesus'' * ''Frederick Douglass Funeral March'' * ''Tuskegee Institute March'' * ''Negro Folk Suite'' In addition, he wrote a number of pieces on music practice. This included a weekly column for '' The Call'' Newspaper and two books: * ''The Elements of Music'' * ''New Jubilee Songs for Quartette, Choir or Chorus''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Nathaniel Clark 1877 births 1935 deaths American jazz educators African-American jazz composers American jazz composers People from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Musicians from Kansas American bandleaders American people who self-identify as being of Cherokee descent 20th-century African-American musicians