Nora Holt facts for kids
Nora Douglas Holt (born 1884 or 1885 – died 1974) was an amazing American musician. She was a singer, composer, and music critic. Nora was the first African American to earn a master's degree in music in the United States. She wrote over 200 pieces of music. She was also a key person in the Harlem Renaissance. This was a time when African American art and culture thrived. Nora also helped start the National Association of Negro Musicians. She passed away in Los Angeles.
Early Life and Education
Nora Douglas Holt was born Lena or Lora Douglas. She was born in Kansas City, Kansas in either 1884 or 1885. Her father, Calvin Douglas, was a minister. Her mother, Gracie Brown Douglas, encouraged her to play piano. Nora started piano lessons at age four. She played the organ at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church for many years.
Her father was also involved with Western University (Kansas). He wrote the words for the school song. Nora wrote the music for this song. She later destroyed the music score. This happened because of a disagreement about who wrote it.
Nora was a very bright student. She graduated at the top of her class. This was from Western University (Kansas) in 1917. She earned a bachelor's degree in music there. In 1918, she made history. She earned her master's degree in music at Chicago Musical College. This made her the first African American to get a master's in music composition in the U.S. Her master's project was an orchestral piece. It was called Rhapsody on Negro Themes. She also studied music later in France and at the University of Southern California.
Career and Achievements
Nora Douglas Holt had a varied and interesting career. She was a music critic for the Chicago Defender. This was a daily newspaper for Black communities. She wrote for them from 1917 to 1921. She also started her own journal. It was called Music and Poetry in 1921. In this journal, she wrote about her role. She helped create two important groups. These were the Chicago Music Association and the National Association of Negro Musicians.
Holt spent 12 years living in Europe and Asia. She sang in nightclubs and at private parties. By 1926, she had composed over 200 pieces of music. These included orchestral works and songs. She stored them before she left. Sadly, when she returned, her music was gone. Only one piece survived because it was already published. It was a piano piece called Negro Dance. It was published in 1921.
After returning to the U.S., she moved to Harlem. This was in the 1920s. She became an important part of the Harlem Renaissance. She became good friends with Carl Van Vechten. He was a famous novelist and photographer.
In the 1930s, Nora taught music in Los Angeles. She also ran a beauty shop. She became involved with the Los Angeles school board. In 1943, she became an editor and music critic. This was for the Amsterdam News, a Black-focused publication.
Nora Holt also had a career in radio. In 1945, she started a yearly festival. It was called "American Negro Artists" on radio station WNYC. From 1953 to 1964, she produced and directed a weekly show. It was called "Nora Holt’s Concert Showcase". This show was on WLIB radio in Harlem. In 1966, she attended the First World Festival of Negro Arts. This was in Dakar, Senegal. She received many honors during her life. One special honor was being chosen for the Music Critics Circle of New York.
Nora Holt passed away on January 25, 1974, in Los Angeles.
