Wendell Dabney facts for kids

Wendell Phillips Dabney (born November 4, 1865, in Richmond, Virginia – died June 3, 1952, in Cincinnati) was a very important person who worked for civil rights. He was also an author, musician, newspaper editor, and publisher in Cincinnati, Ohio. He spent his life fighting for fairness and equality for African Americans.

Wendell Dabney's Life and Work

Wendell Dabney was born in Richmond, Virginia, just a few months after the American Civil War ended. His parents, John Marshall Dabney and Elizabeth Foster, had been slaves.

His Education and Talents

Wendell Dabney was a talented musician. He graduated from Richmond High School in the first graduation ceremony that included both Black and white students. In 1883, Dabney went to Oberlin College. While there, he was the first violinist at the Oberlin Opera House. He was also a member of a literary club called the Cademian Literary Society.

After College: A Busy Career

After college, Wendell worked as a waiter and a teacher. He taught in Richmond schools from 1886 to 1892. Later, he moved to Boston and opened a music studio.

In 1894, Dabney traveled to Cincinnati. He met Nellie Foster Jackson, a widow with two sons. They married in 1897 and settled in Cincinnati. There, he opened another music studio. He also became very involved in politics. He served as the city paymaster, which meant he managed the city's money.

Wendell Dabney became the first president of the local chapter of the NAACP. This group works to ensure equal rights for all people. In 1902, he started his own newspaper called Ohio Enterprise. This newspaper later became The Union, and he published it until he died in 1952.

He wrote several books and pamphlets. One book was about important African Americans in Cincinnati. He also wrote a book about his close friend Maggie L. Walker. She was the first woman in the U.S. to start a bank. Wendell Dabney also composed many songs. He strongly believed that people of different races should be allowed to marry. He spoke out against laws that tried to stop this.

Wendell Dabney's Family

Wendell Dabney was the uncle and music teacher of a famous ragtime pianist and composer named Ford Dabney (1883–1958).

Wendell's father, John Marshall Dabney, was a well-known caterer and bartender. He was famous for making the best mint julep drinks. In 2015, he was honored in Richmond, Virginia. Many important people attended the event, including one of his great-great-granddaughters, Jennifer Hardy. Jennifer's mother, Mary Hinkson (1925–2014), was a world-famous modern dancer.

One of Wendell Dabney's brothers was John Milton Dabney (1867–1967). He played baseball in the Negro leagues, including for the Cuban Giants. In 1895, John Milton Dabney helped reorganize the Manhattan Baseball Club in Richmond, Virginia.

Wendell Dabney's Works

Wendell Dabney created many works, including music and books.

Music Compositions

• "De Noble Game of Craps" (1898)
• "Fall Festival March" (1900)
• "God, Our Father, a prayer" (1904)
• "If You Must Be Caught" (1921)
• "You Will Miss the Colored Soldier" (1921)

Books and Writings

• Standard Mandolin Method (1895)
• Dabney's Complete Method of Guitar
• The Wolf and the Lamb (1913): This was a pamphlet written to oppose laws that would ban marriage between different races.
• Maggie L. Walker and the I.O of Saint Luke: The Woman and Her Work (1920, 1927): This book was about his friend Maggie L. Walker.
• Cincinnati's Colored Citizens: Historical, Sociological and Biographical (1926): This book shared the history and stories of African Americans in Cincinnati.
• Chisum's Pilgrimage, and Others: This was a collection of articles he had written for his newspaper, The Union.