Philippa Schuyler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Philippa Schuyler
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Schuyler (1959)
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Philippa Duke Schuyler |
| Born | August 2, 1931 Harlem, New York, U.S. |
| Origin | United States |
| Died | May 9, 1967 (aged 35) Da Nang, South Vietnam |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
Philippa Duke Schuyler (born August 2, 1931 – died May 9, 1967) was an amazing American pianist, composer, author, and journalist. She was a true child prodigy, meaning she had incredible talent from a very young age.
Philippa became famous in the 1930s because of her musical gifts and sharp mind. Her parents were George Schuyler, a black journalist, and Josephine Schuyler, a white Texan. Philippa was known as "the Shirley Temple of American Negroes." She gave public piano concerts and was on the radio by age four. At eight, she performed at the 1939 New York World's Fair. She won many music contests, including at Carnegie Hall.
As she grew up, Philippa faced racism. This made her feel sad about her mixed-race background. Later, she became a journalist. Sadly, she died in a helicopter crash in South Vietnam in 1967.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Amazing Talent
Philippa Duke Schuyler was born in Harlem, New York, on August 2, 1931. She was the only child of George Schuyler, a well-known black writer, and Josephine Schuyler. Her mother was a white Texan. Philippa's parents believed that mixed-race marriages could create special children. They also thought it could help solve social problems in the United States.
Philippa's mother had unique ideas about raising a genius. For three years before Philippa was born, she ate only raw, natural foods. She believed this diet would help her have a "superior" child. Philippa grew up eating mostly raw carrots, peas, yams, and raw steak. She also had cod liver oil and lemon slices instead of candy. Her mother often said, "Philippa and I amaze waiters."
Philippa was recognized as a child genius very early. A newspaper called her the "Negro Baby" in 1933. She reportedly knew the alphabet at 19 months old. By age two, she could read and write. At four, she played music by Schumann and Mozart. She also started writing her own songs. When she was six, her intelligence quotient (IQ) was measured at 185. This is a very high score.
Music Career Highlights
Philippa's mother was very keen on her musical career. She entered Philippa into every music competition she could find. In June 1936, at age four, Philippa won her first gold medal. She performed ten of her own songs. She won eight prizes in a row from the New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts. After that, she was not allowed to compete anymore. This was because other children had no chance against her. She also won gold medals from other music groups.
Philippa's piano concerts and radio shows got a lot of attention. New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia admired her. He visited her home many times. On June 19, 1940, he declared it "Philippa Duke Schuyler Day." This was at the 1939 New York World's Fair, where she played two concerts.
At nine, Philippa was featured in an article by Joseph Mitchell for The New Yorker. He heard her early songs. Philippa finished eighth grade at age eleven. By fourteen, she had written 200 musical pieces. In 1942, she became the youngest member of a national composers' group.
As a teenager, Philippa toured a lot, both in the U.S. and other countries. At fifteen, she graduated from high school. She also played with the New York Philharmonic. Philippa continued her studies at Manhattanville College. Many people praised her piano playing. However, some critics thought she was best at strong, powerful pieces.
When she was a teenager, Philippa learned that her parents had planned her life. They had kept scrapbooks of newspaper articles about their hopes for her. This made her feel like a science experiment. It took away some of the joy from her childhood.
Later in life, Philippa felt disappointed by the unfairness she faced. She experienced racism and gender bias, especially when performing in the United States. So, she spent much of her career playing overseas. She traveled to Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, and Europe. She played for leaders like Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. She also performed for Patrice Lumumba and Joseph Kasavubu of the Congo.
Journalism Career
In the early 1960s, Philippa's concert schedule slowed down. She then followed her father, George Schuyler, into journalism. She wrote about her travels to earn money. She published over 100 articles in newspapers and magazines around the world. She was one of the few black writers for United Press International.
Philippa also wrote four non-fiction books:
- Adventures in Black and White (1960) – her life story.
- Who Killed the Congo? (1962) – about the Belgian Congo's fight for freedom.
- Jungle Saints (1963) – about Catholic missionaries.
- Kingdom of Dreams (1966) – about dream interpretation, written with her mother.
Personal Life
Philippa's personal life was often difficult. She did not attend school regularly, so she did not make many friends. When she did go to school, she was usually ahead of other kids her age. She was also often the only minority student.
Philippa spoke many languages besides English. She knew French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and German. She was also a strong believer in the Catholic faith.
Death
In 1966, Philippa traveled to South Vietnam to perform for soldiers and local groups. She went back in April 1967 as a war reporter. She also worked as a lay missionary, helping people.
On May 9, 1967, Philippa was killed in a helicopter crash. This happened during a mission in Da Nang to help evacuate Vietnamese orphans. The helicopter crashed into Danang Bay. She survived the crash at first. But because she could not swim, she drowned.
Philippa had planned to leave Vietnam a few days earlier. However, she stayed longer to help Catholic children from Hue. There was tension between Catholic and Buddhist groups there. About 2,000 people attended her funeral. It was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City on May 18, 1967. She was one of only two American women journalists to die in Vietnam.
An investigation found that the pilot had cut his engine on purpose. He tried to glide down without control. This was possibly to show his passengers how dangerous flying in a war zone could be. But he lost control of the helicopter.
Legacy
Philippa's parents created the Philippa Schuyler Memorial Foundation in her honor.
Philippa Schuyler Middle School for the Gifted and Talented is in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York. This school helps keep her memory alive. It offers an arts-focused education to talented children in New York City.
In 2004, it was reported that actress Halle Berry owned the film rights to Philippa's life story. Berry planned to make a movie about her. The actress Alicia Keys was considered to play Philippa.
Books Written by Philippa Schuyler
- Philippa Duke Schuyler, Adventures in Black and White, with Foreword by Deems Taylor, (New York: R. Speller, 1960)
- Philippa Duke Schuyler, Who Killed the Congo?, (New York: Devin-Adair, 1962)
- Philippa Duke Schuyler, Jungle Saints: Africa's Heroic Catholic Missionaries, (Roma: Verlag Herder, 1963)
- Philippa Duke Schuyler and Josephine Schuyler, Kingdom of Dreams, (New York: R. Speller, 1966)
- Philippa Duke Schuyler, Good Men Die, (New York: Twin Circle, 1969)
See also
In Spanish: Philippa Schuyler para niños
