George Lattimore facts for kids
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George William Lattimore (born 1887 – after 1931) was an American lawyer and a manager for sports teams and music groups. He also produced shows and movies. He was known for managing the famous Southern Syncopated Orchestra.
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Basketball Achievements
In 1906, George Lattimore started and managed the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn. This was the first independent African-American basketball team. They won the first World's Basketball Championship for African-American people.
In 1916, the club was reorganized. George Lattimore became the Secretary of the Smart Set Athletic Club Incorporated.
The Southern Syncopated Orchestra
George Lattimore became the manager of the New York Syncopated Orchestra in 1919. This group was formed by Will Marion Cook.
Touring Britain
In May 1919, the orchestra changed its name to the Southern Syncopated Orchestra (SSO). They traveled to Britain for a six-month tour. The tour was very successful. The orchestra was praised for playing many different types of music. They even performed for the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) at Buckingham Palace.
In 1919, Lattimore and Cook attended an event in London. It was organized by a black student group called The Coitere of Friends. The event celebrated Pan-African ideas. Music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was played.
Challenges and Tragedy
The orchestra faced some challenges. At one point, two different Southern Syncopated Orchestras were touring Britain at the same time. One was led by Cook and the other by Lattimore.
A sad event happened on October 9, 1921. The orchestra was traveling from Glasgow to Derry on the ship SS Rowan. The ship was in an accident, and eight musicians drowned. Lattimore was in Dublin at the time.
The orchestra continued to tour in different forms until 1922. One of the later versions was Lattimore's Symphony Orchestra. It performed in Vienna in 1922.
Wildest Africa Film
In 1922, Lattimore showed a film called Wildest Africa at the Philharmonic Hall in London. This film recorded an animal expedition to Central Africa. The expedition was led by Prince William of Sweden.
Cradle of the World Show
In 1923, Lattimore worked with Pathé to promote a show called Cradle of the World. He called it "the most marvelous and thrilling travel film ever screened." Lattimore said he was having a "successful run" with the film at the Philharmonic Hall.
The show included music to make it more exciting. It also helped cover up the time needed to change film reels. Sol Plaatje, an important South African leader, was part of the show. He played the role of an African tribesman.
Family Life
George Lattimore's brother, Robert P. Lattimore, was also a lawyer. They worked from the same office in New York City.
In 1926, Lattimore married a British artist's model named Dolores (Norine Schofield) in London. They separated quickly but never divorced. Dolores passed away in 1934.
Later Life
The exact date of George Lattimore's death is not known. However, an article about him appeared in the New York Amsterdam News on August 24, 1932.
