William Christopher Handy
November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958
W.C. Handy was born in Florence, Alabama in a log cabin that was built by his grandfather. By the time he was a teenager he was playing both trumpet and clarinet in a band. He would become a teacher by trade and was soon writing songs that would become blues standards. His “St. Louis Blues” as recorded by Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong is considered one of the finest songs of the era. Along with his autobiography, Handy wrote five books on the subject of music, blues and African-American life in the early 20th century. In 1943, Handy was blinded as a result of a fall from a subway platform. He passes away at the age of 84 from pneumonia. An estimated 25,000 people attended his funeral while an additional 125,000 gathered in nearby streets to pay their respects.