William T. Wilkins studied music from a young age, mowing lawns to pay for piano lessons. His father wanted him to become a mechanic, and he was the first African American to be employed at the Edison Light and Power Company. However, he eventually received a certificate of completion in music instruction and opened Wilkins Piano Academy, the first interracial piano school in the city of Los Angeles, in 1912. View of well-dressed men and women on the lawn of a house at an event of the W. T. Wilkins Piano Academy, most likely a recital. A banner shows a silhouette of a piano and the date range "1916-1923." Written on back of photo: Professor Wilkins Piano Academy - 1923 ? Group photo taken after a recital? Sourced from Frank Terry - Sayers Collection.
Type
image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b22_f02_002a.tif ark:/21198/z1wh477p
Subject
African American music teachers African American musicians Wilkins, William T., 1887-1972
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
