The band spawned several distinguish jazz musicians, including William “Cat” Anderson
Onlookers watch as members of the Jenkins Orphanage Band parade down South Battery in this circa-1938 photo taken during the City of Charleston’s Azalea Festival. Founded in 1891 by Reverend Daniel Jenkins to give African American children in need a home and a trade, the band began began performing on local street corners, playing marches, dance tunes, and popular songs of the day. Members would eventually travel as far as Paris, Berlin, and Rome; perform at the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904; and play in inaugural parades for two US presidents. The band spawned several distinguished jazz musicians, including William “Cat” Anderson and Tom Delaney, before dissolving in the 1980s.
READ: Behind the Sound of the Jenkins Orphanage Band feature from the July 2020 issue
