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110-456: Shenango can refer to: Camp Shenango a World War II Military Personnel Replacement Depot Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Shenango Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania Shenango, West Virginia Shenango River Shenango Valley Mall Shenango, one of several alternative names for Logstown , a Native American village in eastern Pennsylvania. Topics referred to by

220-411: A 100-bed hospital, latrines, libraries, mess halls, motor pool, post exchanges, rifle range, service clubs, theaters, and warehouses. The base would also be equipped with its own infrastructure, including more than 100 miles of electric lines, 25 miles of paved roads, 22 miles of water lines, two 250,000-gallon water tanks (painted in a large red-and white checker pattern and situated at the southern end of

330-743: A 12-month period starting in November 1925, this quintet produced twenty-four records. Armstrong's band leading style was easygoing, as St. Cyr noted: "One felt so relaxed working with him, and he was very broad-minded ... always did his best to feature each individual." Among the Hot Five and Seven records were "Cornet Chop Suey", "Struttin' With Some Barbecue", "Hotter Than That", and "Potato Head Blues", all featuring highly creative solos by Armstrong. According to Thomas Brothers , recordings such as "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" were so superb, "planned with density and variety, bluesyness, and showiness", that

440-521: A 430-acre portion of the one-time army training center now occupied by numerous industrial, warehouse, and service-related operations. An additional 40-acre site called the Reynolds North Industrial Park was opened in the late 1980s to meet a demand for smaller, fully developed business sites. Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed " Satchmo ", " Satch ", and " Pops ",

550-403: A Chicago realtor. Travis was a 21-year-old Black Army Private when he arrived at Shenango aboard a "Jim Crow train." He told Terkel that on the day of the flare-up he and a friend he knew only as "Kansas" had just emerged from a theater to find a group of Black soldiers engaged in what he described as a "big discussion." He claimed that a caravan of six trucks loaded with white soldiers arrived at

660-892: A better dynamic range was not invented until 1926. Initially, because Armstrong's playing was so loud, Oliver could not be heard on the recording when he played next to Oliver. Armstrong had to stand 15 feet from Oliver in a far corner of the room to remedy this. Lil Hardin , whom Armstrong would marry in 1924, urged Armstrong to seek more prominent billing and develop his style apart from the influence of Oliver. At her suggestion, Armstrong began playing classical music in church concerts to broaden his skills and dressing more stylishly to offset his girth. Her influence eventually undermined Armstrong's relationship with his mentor, especially concerning his salary and additional money that Oliver held back from Armstrong and other band members. Armstrong's mother, Mayann Albert, came to visit him in Chicago during

770-618: A break from military life. Among those making appearances at the camp were: Louis Armstrong , Bonnie Baker, Blue Barron , Major Bowes and his Amateur Hour, the Camel Caravan, Stu Erwin and the cast of "Goodnight Ladies", Judy Garland , Benny Goodman , the Harmonic Rascals, Andy Kerr, Wayne King, the Mills Brothers , Olsen and Johnson's "Helzapoppin", June Preisser, Art Rooney, contralto Alice Stewart, Bob Strong,

880-399: A brief trumpet solo. Then, the main melody is introduced by sobbing horns, memorably punctuated by Armstrong's growling interjections at the end of each bar: "Yeah! ..."Uh-huh"..."Sure"..."Way down, way down." In the first verse, Armstrong ignores the notated melody and sings as if playing a trumpet solo, pitching most of the first line on a single note and using strongly syncopated phrasing. In

990-441: A cost of $ 10,252. By the time land procurement ended in November 1942, 3,300 acres had been acquired at a total cost of $ 182,000. Initially, military leaders determined that time spent at the camp by individual members of the military would depend on the demand for replacements and each serviceman's branch of operations. Ultimately, more than a million troops passed through the camp on their way to East Coast ports of embarkation and

1100-456: A duet on Hoagy Carmichael's " Rockin' Chair " they then recorded for Okeh Records . Armstrong's manager, Joe Glaser, changed the Armstrong big band on August 13, 1947, into a six-piece traditional jazz group featuring Armstrong with (initially) Teagarden, Earl Hines and other top swing and Dixieland musicians, most of whom were previously leaders of big bands. The new group was announced at

1210-749: A father, they fed and nurtured Armstrong. In his memoir, Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, La., the Year of 1907 , he described his discovery that this family was also subject to discrimination by "other white folks" who felt that they were better than Jews: "I was only seven years old but I could easily see the ungodly treatment that the white folks were handing the poor Jewish family whom I worked for." Armstrong wrote about what he learned from them: "how to live—real life and determination." His first musical performance may have been at

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1320-590: A few records but otherwise struggled. Sidney Bechet became a tailor, later moving to Paris, and Kid Ory returned to New Orleans and raised chickens. Armstrong moved to Los Angeles in 1930 to seek new opportunities. He played at the New Cotton Club in Los Angeles with Lionel Hampton on drums. The band drew the Hollywood crowd, which could still afford a lavish nightlife, while radio broadcasts from

1430-423: A focus on his vocal career. His popularity brought together many black and white audiences. Armstrong returned to New York in 1929, where he played in the pit orchestra for the musical Hot Chocolates , an all-black revue written by Andy Razaf and pianist Fats Waller . Armstrong made a cameo appearance as a vocalist, regularly stealing the show with his rendition of " Ain't Misbehavin' ." Armstrong's version of

1540-515: A graduate engineer who had previously represented an engineering consulting firm not only in the building of Camp Reynolds but as a professional consultant to the committee. In addition to serving as managing engineer for Reynolds Development, Parker became general manager of the water company, the sewage disposal company and the Pymatuning Independent Telephone Company. Prior to Parker's arrival, operation of

1650-599: A hero's welcome, and saw old friends. He sponsored a local baseball team called Armstrong's Secret Nine and had a cigar named after him. However, Armstrong was on the road again soon. After a tour across the country shadowed by the mob, he fled to Europe. After returning to the United States, Armstrong undertook several exhausting tours. His agent, Johnny Collins's erratic behavior and his own spending ways left Armstrong short of cash. Breach of contract violations plagued him. Armstrong hired Joe Glaser as his new manager,

1760-482: A large audience. He began scat singing (improvised vocal jazz using nonsensical words) and was among the first to record it on the Hot Five recording " Heebie Jeebies " in 1926. The recording was so popular that the group became the most famous jazz band in the United States, even though they had seldom performed live. Young musicians across the country, black or white, were turned on by Armstrong's new type of jazz. After separating from Lil, Armstrong started to play at

1870-467: A line on what transpired that mid-July day in 1943. The camp's public relations officials would say only that one Black soldier had been killed and six others wounded in a racial flare-up. This was later described as a "spoon-fed" accounting of the rioting. The Department of the Army's Center of Military History, in response to a communication from this writer and Congressman Tom Ridge, supplied one version of

1980-466: A memoir called Louis Armstrong + the Jewish Family in New Orleans, LA., the year of 1907 , describing his time working for the Karnoffsky family. Armstrong writes about singing "Russian Lullaby" with the Karnoffsky family when their baby son David was put to bed and credits the family with teaching him to sing "from the heart." Curiously, Armstrong quotes lyrics for it that appear to be the same as

2090-549: A military installation near Shenango, Pennsylvania to receive, process, and forward both officers and enlisted men for service during World War II. Acquisition of land in Pymatuning Township, Pennsylvania , began almost immediately with cooperative landowners from a total of 26 farms paid an average of $ 70 per acre for their potato fields. The first parcel of 57 acres was purchased for $ 40,500 and included space for warehouses. An additional 114 acres were then acquired at

2200-444: A musician. Armstrong found a job at a dance hall owned by Henry Ponce, who had connections to organized crime. He met the six-foot tall drummer Black Benny , who became Armstrong's guide and bodyguard. Around the age of 15, he pimped for a prostitute named Nootsy. However, that relationship failed after she stabbed Armstrong in the shoulder, and his mother choked her nearly to death. Armstrong briefly studied shipping management at

2310-446: A reputation at " cutting contests ", and his fame reached band leader Fletcher Henderson . Armstrong moved to New York City, where he became a featured and musically influential band soloist and recording artist. By the 1950s, Armstrong was a national musical icon, appearing regularly in radio and television broadcasts and on film. Armstrong's best known songs include " What a Wonderful World ", " La Vie en Rose ", " Hello, Dolly! ", " On

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2420-487: A result, Greenville's population increased by 60 percent - from 8,149 in 1940 to 13,015 in 1943 (or higher, according to Mellon-Stuart records which showed a workforce high of 16,500 at one point). Although the final project cost for construction of the entire camp complex was never officially announced, one figure revealed that just one segment of the project (10 dormitory units erected on the west side of Route 18 to provide housing for 180 families) cost $ 624,466. The cost for

2530-790: A rough neighborhood known as The Battlefield, on the southern section of Rampart Street . At the age of six, Armstrong started attending the Fisk School for Boys, a school that accepted black children in the racially segregated school system of New Orleans. Armstrong lived with his mother and sister during this time and worked for the Karnoffskys, a family of Lithuanian Jews , at their home . Armstrong helped their sons Morris and Alex collect "rags and bones" and deliver coal. In 1969, while recovering from heart and kidney problems at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City, Armstrong wrote

2640-508: A single military policeman was wounded. After the rioting, Kerfoot said, he was working in the provost marshal's office and heard that 30 to 35 Black soldiers were killed that day and many more were wounded. Studs Terkel, the Chicago author who won a general non-fiction Pulitzer prize for his The Good War, an Oral History of World War II, presented still another version of the Camp Shenango rioting after interviewing Dempsey Travis, now

2750-497: A suburban Pittsburgh dwelling where he had been chased by two dogs. In October 1945 a total of 450 German war prisoners were brought to Reynolds after a detainee camp at North East had been closed. About the same time others held at Kane, Marienville and Sheffield arrived at Reynolds to await repatriation. Some 500 more were moved out on the 25th day of November, with several hundred more awaiting their turn to depart for their homeland. The army's Center for Military History reported that

2860-526: A time, he was a member of the Lil Hardin Armstrong Band and worked for his wife. Armstrong formed Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five and recorded the hits " Potato Head Blues " and "Muggles". The word "muggles" was a slang term for marijuana , something Armstrong often used during his life. The Hot Five included Kid Ory (trombone), Johnny Dodds (clarinet), Johnny St. Cyr (banjo), Lil Armstrong on piano, and usually no drummer. Over

2970-470: A tough mob-connected wheeler-dealer who began straightening out his legal mess, mob troubles, and debts. Armstrong also began to experience problems with his fingers and lips, aggravated by his unorthodox playing style. As a result, Armstrong branched out, developing his vocal style and making his first theatrical appearances. Armstrong appeared in movies again, including Crosby's 1936 hit Pennies from Heaven . In 1937, Armstrong substituted for Rudy Vallee on

3080-532: A trumpet soloist. His resonant, velvety lower-register tone and bubbling cadences on sides such as "Lazy River" greatly influenced younger white singers such as Bing Crosby. The Great Depression of the early 1930s was especially hard on the jazz scene. After a long downward spiral, the Cotton Club closed in 1936, and many musicians stopped playing altogether as club dates evaporated. Bix Beiderbecke died, and Fletcher Henderson's band broke up. King Oliver made

3190-556: A well-publicized stand for desegregation in the Little Rock crisis . He could access the upper echelons of American society at a time when this was difficult for Black men. Armstrong is believed to have been born in New Orleans on August 4, 1901, but the date has been heavily debated. Armstrong himself often claimed he was born on July 4, 1900. His parents were Mary Estelle "Mayann" Albert and William Armstrong. Mary Albert

3300-582: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Camp Shenango In 1994, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission placed a historical marker there to note the historic importance of the location. On June 24, 1942, the United States Department of War announced the authorization and award of contracts totaling more than $ 3,000,000 for construction of

3410-575: Is no record of any German soldiers assigned to Greenville shops or plants. Under terms of the Geneva Convention all of the prisoners with the exception of officers could be made to work as the U.S. Army saw fit. Some worked at logging camps in the area of North East, Kane, Sheffield, and Marienville. According to John Gessner, who was an Army captain at the time and worked with the Germans on frequent occasions, still other prisoners worked at

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3520-754: The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame , the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , and the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame , among others. Armstrong was born and raised in New Orleans . Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, he was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. Around 1922, Armstrong followed his mentor, Joe "King" Oliver , to Chicago to play in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band. Armstrong earned

3630-635: The Record-Argus , the Victory News was distributed between April 15, 1943, and November 30, 1944. Servicemen also made their own fun, organizing baseball, boxing and track and field events, a drum and bugle corps, several dance bands, stage productions, and bowling, handball and basketball leagues with one cage tournament attracting roughly 23 GI teams. Allegheny, Westminster, Geneva, and Bethany Colleges also made exhibition basketball appearances. Stage, screen and radio headliners also offered troops

3740-700: The Roseland Ballroom , with arrangements by Don Redman . Duke Ellington's orchestra went to Roseland to catch Armstrong's performances. During this time, Armstrong recorded with Clarence Williams (a friend from New Orleans), the Williams Blue Five, Sidney Bechet , and blues singers Alberta Hunter , Ma Rainey , and Bessie Smith . In 1925, Armstrong returned to Chicago largely at the insistence of Lil, who wanted to expand his career and income. In publicity, much to his chagrin, she billed Armstrong as "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player." For

3850-559: The Sunset Café for Al Capone 's associate Joe Glaser in the Carroll Dickerson Orchestra, with Earl Hines on piano, which was renamed Louis Armstrong and his Stompers. However, Hines was the music director, and Glaser managed the orchestra. Hines and Armstrong became fast friends and successful collaborators. It was at the Sunset Café that Armstrong accompanied singer Adelaide Hall . During Hall's tenure at

3960-747: The United Service Organization (USO) also helped ensure that men were kept busy during their off-duty hours away from camp. With help from the War Department, the organization built an $ 86,000 recreation center in Greenville's Riverside Park, where 812,530 servicemen were entertained over an 18-month period; 475,000 men also visited the USO's Buhl Club in Sharon. Camps Shenango and Reynolds had six commanders. First to arrive during

4070-457: The "Russian Lullaby", copyrighted by Irving Berlin in 1927, about 20 years after Armstrong remembered singing it as a child. Gary Zucker, Armstrong's doctor at Beth Israel hospital in 1969, shared Berlin's song lyrics with him, and Armstrong quoted them in the memoir. This inaccuracy may be because he wrote the memoir over 60 years after the events described. Regardless, the Karnoffskys treated Armstrong exceptionally well. Knowing he lived without

4180-421: The 10th Street post exchange for Black soldiers that a number of them retaliated by attempting to enter the white PX on Seventh Street. The Black soldiers were met with stiff resistance. Tempers flared and the resulting melee soon got out of hand. Kerpan's recollection is that at least two Black soldiers were killed and several others probably were wounded in the resulting gunfire which lasted from about 5 o'clock in

4290-558: The 15,000-plus German POWS under army control in the Maryland-Pennsylvania-West Virginia area near the war's end. Most of these men had been put to work in area industries and logging camps to relieve the manpower shortage even though this practice stirred public criticism in some areas. They were assigned to factories and plants in the Shenango Valley, Meadville, Youngstown, and Warren, OH. There

4400-444: The 1940s due to changes in public tastes. Ballrooms closed, and competition from other types of music, especially pop vocals, became more popular than big band music. Under such circumstances, it became impossible to finance a 16-piece touring band. A widespread revival of interest in the 1940s in the traditional jazz of the 1920s made it possible for Armstrong to consider a return to the small-group musical style of his youth. Armstrong

4510-521: The Black soldiers and consequently, the treatment of the African Americans probably was what was considered to be about normal for that period in history. There was no civil rights movement at the time, nor were there marches or demonstrations to advance the cause of the minorities. Some excesses in the treatment of Black troops during the early days of the camp were evident, however. For example,

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4620-423: The Black troops consisted of card games, pick-up baseball and other diversions of their own making. It came as no great surprise, then, that the ill feelings harbored by some Black and white troops alike eventually flared into an ugly race riot that ended up with a deadly exchange of gunfire lasting several hours. Area newspapers and radio stations (there was no television in those days) did their level best to get

4730-607: The CBS radio network and became the first African American to host a sponsored national broadcast. After spending many years on the road, Armstrong settled permanently in Queens, New York, in 1943 with his fourth wife, Lucille. Although subject to the vicissitudes of Tin Pan Alley and the gangster-ridden music business, as well as anti-black prejudice, Armstrong continued to develop his playing. Bookings for big bands tapered off during

4840-438: The Camp Shenango instance, an altercation between Black and white soldiers in the post exchange area expanded until it involved a large number of troops in the exchange area. This first instance, brought under control by white and Black military police using tear gas, was followed by another when two new prisoners, picked up for a pass violation, spread news of the earlier fracas to men in the guardhouse. Black prisoners broke out of

4950-665: The Civil War’. He was killed by a 16-year-old Confederate sharpshooter on July 1, 1863, the first day of the bloody action at Gettysburg. John F. Reynolds was one of the most universally admired officers of the Army of the Potomac. A compassionate man, he was said to be genuinely concerned for the wellbeing of the soldiers under his command. When World War II began to wind down there were still more than 1,800 German prisoners of war housed in Camp Reynolds barracks. They were among

5060-599: The French song " C'est si bon " at the Hotel Negresco during the first Nice Jazz Festival . Armstrong was present and loved the song. On June 26, 1950, he recorded the American version of the song (English lyrics by Jerry Seelen ) in New York City with Sy Oliver and his Orchestra. When it was released, the disc was a worldwide success, and the song was then performed by the greatest international singers. Armstrong

5170-513: The Nazi atrocities at Adolf Hitler's death camps visibly disturbed the POWs. Many reportedly insisted that the horror scenes taken at Dachau and elsewhere were fakes turned out by U.S. propagandists. The German people were incapable of such atrocities, they said. The prisoner of war camp, which had been established April 4, 1944, was discontinued Jan, 15, 1946, approximately one month after the closing of

5280-657: The RCA ribbon microphone , introduced in 1931, which imparted warmth to vocals and became an intrinsic part of the " crooning " sound of artists like Bing Crosby . Armstrong's interpretation of Carmichael's " Stardust " became one of the most successful versions of this song ever recorded, showcasing Armstrong's unique vocal sound and style and his innovative approach to singing songs that were already standards. Armstrong's radical re-working of Sidney Arodin and Carmichael's " Lazy River ", recorded in 1931, encapsulated his groundbreaking approach to melody and phrasing. The song begins with

5390-524: The Reynolds sewing center after the civilian employees had left for the day. Now an attorney living in Cortland, OH, Gessner recalled that for the most part the Germans were a docile lot. There was one occasion in November 1945 when it became necessary to place 280 of the POWs on a bread-and-water diet after they staged a sit-down strike because their Nazi spokesman had been shipped out of camp. The strike

5500-804: The Sunny Side of the Street ", " Dream a Little Dream of Me ", " When You're Smiling " and " When the Saints Go Marching In ". He collaborated with Ella Fitzgerald , producing three records together: Ella and Louis (1956), Ella and Louis Again (1957), and Porgy and Bess (1959). He also appeared in films such as A Rhapsody in Black and Blue (1932), Cabin in the Sky (1943), High Society (1956), Paris Blues (1961), A Man Called Adam (1966), and Hello, Dolly! (1969). With his instantly recognizable, rich, gravelly voice, Armstrong

5610-747: The Veterans Administration to proceed with plans for development of the veterans’ hospital at Deshon, near Butler. By this time the War Assets Administration controlled the area for disposition. In 1946 Silas Moss was elected president of the Greenville Business Men's Association (GBMA) and work began in earnest to acquire Camp Reynolds to be developed industrially for the benefit of the entire area. With behind-the-scenes help from Congressman Carroll D. Kearns, many months of work ensued until finally, in

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5720-653: The Victory, PA designation. Possibly because the original name was somewhat unwieldy, the War Department decreed in July 1943 that the military depot should bear the name of Camp Reynolds in honor of one of the Keystone State's military heroes of the American Civil War . The new designation paid tribute to the memory of Major General John Fulton Reynolds, one of the 51 Union generals ‘who died in battle during

5830-476: The afternoon until long after dark. Some of the Black troops disappeared under the cover of darkness but were later picked up in various communities throughout Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. The rioters were immediately sent to overseas destinations. William F. Kerfoot, Sr., now of the Vernon, OH area, was a military police sergeant who said that he had a "front row seat" during the gunfire display in which not

5940-463: The arrangements were probably showcased at the Sunset Café. His recordings soon after with pianist Earl "Fatha" Hines , their famous 1928 " Weather Bird " duet and Armstrong's trumpet introduction to and solo in " West End Blues ", remain some of the most influential improvisations in jazz history. Young trumpet players across the country bought these recordings and memorized his solos. Armstrong

6050-429: The balance of the warehouse area to three other firms on three-year lease-purchase arrangements, the trustees turned their attention to additional lands. Another problem was encountered. William Templeton, who owned 258 acres of land in the center of the area, induced many of the former landowners to exercise their priority to re-purchase their land. Then he attempted to buy their land from them. After months of negotiations

6160-743: The cast of the "Truth or Consequences" radio show, and Virginia Weidler. Boxers Joe Louis , Sugar Ray Robinson , Two-Ton Tony Galento, and Fritzie Zivic also made appearances, as did billiard experts Irving Crane and Charles Peterson, members of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians , Governor Edward Martin, and a number of touring OSO shows and amateur theatrical groups from Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Ohio, Youngstown, Ohio, and Sharon, Pennsylvania. In addition, attractive bus and rail fares enabled many soldiers to travel to Sharon, New Castle, Farrell, Youngstown, and other nearby cities to seek rest and relaxation before their departure overseas, and

6270-531: The club connected with younger audiences at home. Bing Crosby and many other celebrities were regulars at the club. In 1931, Armstrong appeared in his first movie, Ex-Flame . He was also convicted of marijuana possession but received a suspended sentence. Armstrong returned to Chicago in late 1931 and played in bands more in the Guy Lombardo vein, and he recorded more standards. When the mob insisted that he get out of town, Armstrong visited New Orleans, had

6380-517: The collection of the rental from Westinghouse Electric Corporation, three members of the association, Luther Kuder, Norman Mortensen, and Jess Dart, supplied $ 38,000 from their own resources and $ 2,500 was allocated and borrowed from the GBMA's post-war fund. The total amount was paid to the War Assets Administration and after a lapse of five months the deed for the property arrived on Oct. 27, 1947. The loans were repaid without interest. After having rented

6490-513: The custody of his father and his new stepmother, Gertrude. Armstrong lived in this household with two stepbrothers for several months. After Gertrude gave birth to a daughter, Armstrong's father never welcomed him, so Armstrong returned to his mother, Mary Albert. Armstrong had to share a bed in her small home with his mother and sister. His mother still lived in The Battlefield, leaving Armstrong open to old temptations, but he sought work as

6600-602: The development corporation was under the control of a board of trustees appointed by officers and directors of the Business Men's Association. Today there are three industrial parks totaling over 1,200 acres. They are the largest planned and managed industrial developments in the Tri-State area and are located in a metropolitan area of approximately 130,000 persons. The parks are owned and operated by Greenville-Reynolds Development Corporation. The original park consisted of

6710-466: The early 1920s. Armstrong lived luxuriously in his apartment with his first private bath. Excited to be in Chicago, Armstrong began his career-long pastime of writing letters to friends in New Orleans. Armstrong could blow 200 high Cs in a row. As his reputation grew, Armstrong was challenged to cutting contests by other musicians. Armstrong's first studio recordings were with Oliver for Gennett Records on April 5–6, 1923. They endured several hours on

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6820-408: The encampment), a sewage treatment plant, 18 miles of sewer lines, and a waste disposal facility. Civil Service examiners began taking applications for immediate employment hires. The project then ramped up quickly as thousands of engineers and construction workers arrived and 4,200 men employed by the main contractors and 24 subcontractors began working 10-hour days and six-day weeks after ground for

6930-482: The entire camp complex was reported to have topped $ 19,000,000. Post-war, the ten dormitory units to the west of Route 18 were converted into a county-owned housing project (known today as Fay Terrace) while the 250,000-gallon, red and white water tanks continued to supply water to the area for many years, and helped contribute to the area's housing growth during the 1950s. During its heyday, the camp had its own post office and published its own weekly newspaper. Printed at

7040-554: The era. Hughes wrote many books that celebrated jazz and recognized Armstrong as one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance's newfound love of African-American culture. The sound of jazz, along with musicians such as Armstrong, helped shape Hughes as a writer. Just like the musicians, Hughes wrote his words with jazz. Armstrong changed jazz during the Harlem Renaissance. As "The World's Greatest Trumpet Player" during this time, Armstrong cemented his legacy and continued

7150-445: The first supply building was broken near the overhead highway bridge on Route 18 on July 8. In short order, the War Department ordered the expansion of the camp's battalion area to accommodate an additional 30,000 troops, followed by a subsequent expansion of the camp's housing capacity to 90,000 troops. Although trailer camps were established to handle the sudden influx of workers and their families, housing facilities were limited. As

7260-413: The flare-up by providing a single page copied from Ulysses Lee's publication titled The Employment of Negro Troops. Lee wrote that not all of the violence and disorder in which Negro troops became involved resulted from racial friction or mass grievances. Much of it was purely indigenous in nature, sometimes growing out of cultural traits and patterns of behavior brought into the Army from Civilian life. In

7370-431: The guardhouse and joined by other soldiers, seized firearms and munitions from supply rooms. Military police, again white and Black, killed one and wounded five other soldiers in quelling the second disturbance. John W. Kerpan, now a Greenville funeral director, was a first lieutenant and second in command of the camp's military police forces at that time of the rioting. He recalls that after several white soldiers went into

7480-588: The heart of good old New Orleans ... It has given me something to live for." Borrowing his stepfather's gun without permission, Armstrong fired a blank into the air and was arrested on December 31, 1912. He spent the night at New Orleans Juvenile Court and was sentenced the next day to detention at the Colored Waif's Home. Life at the home was spartan. Mattresses were absent, and meals were often little more than bread and molasses. Captain Joseph Jones ran

7590-456: The home like a military camp and used corporal punishment. Armstrong developed his cornet skills by playing in the band. Peter Davis , who frequently appeared at the home at the request of Captain Jones, became Armstrong's first teacher and chose him as the bandleader. With this band, the 13-year-old Armstrong attracted the attention of Kid Ory . On June 14, 1914, Armstrong was released into

7700-678: The hospital and to guard the more than 1,000 German prisoners of war. Repatriation of the last prisoners was completed in mid-January 1946. After the camp's final deactivation the Trimble Company of Pittsburgh was awarded the general contract for razing the hundreds of barracks. The city of Erie acquired 200, Cleveland more than 100, Jamestown, NY 50, Johnstown 50, Connellsville 30, etc. The city of Pittsburgh and several area colleges, among them Thiel, Allegheny, and Westminster, bought additional dozens, as did many individuals seeking to convert them to garages, hunting camps, and other uses. How

7810-429: The hostilities were not completely quelled for 48 to 72 hours. The public may never know for certain how many Black soldiers were killed or wounded that day in July. At least some of the facts about this unsavory chapter of the camp's history are finally in the public realm and may help to put many rumors at rest at long last. Camp Reynolds was converted to its present stature as an industrial-residential community after

7920-435: The idea of leasing three of the warehouses. They also entered into an agreement whereby lessor would pay the first year's rent in advance and, as a result, the association could be certain of eventually having an additional $ 30,643 added to the GBMA funds on a three-year lease-purchase agreement. One troublesome problem remained. The association could not charge Westinghouse rent for property it did not own. In order to expedite

8030-403: The inn when Southern soldiers were inside. Under military guard, the Black troops were served their meals outdoors on the parking lot. Before he died a few years back Magargee also mentioned that in the camp's early days there was but a single theater for Black troops although they were permitted to occupy the back row seats in a theater for whites. The only other entertainment originally afforded

8140-401: The last half of 1928, he started recording with a new group: Zutty Singleton (drums), Earl Hines (piano), Jimmy Strong (clarinet), Fred Robinson (trombone), and Mancy Carr (banjo). Armstrong made a huge impact during the 1920s Harlem Renaissance . His music touched well-known writer Langston Hughes . Hughes admired Armstrong and acknowledged him as one of the most recognized musicians of

8250-858: The late 1910s. He traveled with the band of Fate Marable , which toured on the steamboat Sidney with the Streckfus Steamers line up and down the Mississippi River. Marable was proud of Armstrong's musical knowledge, and he insisted that Armstrong and other musicians in his band learn sight reading . Armstrong described his time with Marable as "going to the University" since it gave him a wider experience working with written arrangements . In 1918, Armstrong's mentor, King Oliver , decided to go north and resigned his position in Kid Ory's band; Armstrong replaced him. Armstrong also became

8360-489: The late Joseph G. Magargee of Greenville, a civilian employee at the camp who later became a Reynolds High School teacher and something of an authority on camp history, once recalled how the first contingent of Black soldiers was not fed at the base but were placed in leg chains and trucked to the nearby Blue Sky Inn for their meals. Magargee wrote that according to the Blue Sky owner the Black troops were not permitted to enter

8470-502: The local community college but was forced to quit after being unable to afford the fees. While selling coal in Storyville , he heard spasm bands , groups that played music out of household objects. Armstrong listened to the early sounds of jazz from bands that played in brothels and dance halls, such as Pete Lala's, where King Oliver performed. Early in his career, Armstrong played in brass bands and riverboats in New Orleans, in

8580-532: The many other structures and facilities and the campsite itself were acquired by the Greenville Business Men's Association for future industrial and residential development. The community, now known as Reynolds, had not one but three names during its wartime history. In 1942 Reynolds came into being as the Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot and was originally named for the nearby village of Shenango. On railroad timetables it bore

8690-614: The military camp itself. The manner in which many Black soldiers were treated during the early days and months of the Shenango Personnel Replacement Depot (SPRD) operation is a blot the War Department has never been proud of and has always been reluctant to talk about. When the SPRD was conceived during the early phase of World War II, military units were strictly segregated. At the local depot there were separate barracks, post exchanges, theaters and other facilities for white and Black troops. Southern officers and GIs especially did not mix well with

8800-483: The opening of Billy Berg's Supper Club. This smaller group was called Louis Armstrong and His All-Stars and included at various times Earl "Fatha" Hines, Barney Bigard , Edmond Hall , Jack Teagarden, Trummy Young , Arvell Shaw , Billy Kyle , Marty Napoleon , Big Sid "Buddy" Catlett , Cozy Cole , Tyree Glenn , Barrett Deems , Mort Herbert , Joe Darensbourg , Eddie Shu , Joe Muranyi and percussionist Danny Barcelona . On February 28, 1948, Suzy Delair sang

8910-434: The project never got off the ground. Community leaders from Greenville and Sharon, together with other interests from throughout the county, then came up with another idea and attempted to conclude arrangements for the building of a 1,800-bed veteran's hospital. Test borings were made but this effort also came to naught when word came from President Harry S. Truman that the Reynolds site was "unsuitable." The White House directed

9020-486: The rest of his life. Playing second cornet to Oliver in Oliver's Creole Jazz Band in the black-only Lincoln Gardens on the South Side of Chicago, Armstrong could make enough money to quit his day jobs. Although race relations were poor, Chicago was booming. The city had jobs for blacks, who made good wages at factories, with some left for entertainment. Oliver's band was among Chicago's most influential jazz bands in

9130-413: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Shenango . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shenango&oldid=1234861047 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

9240-441: The scene and began shooting at the Black soldiers. "Kansas" was killed on the spot, Travis said, and he himself fell with three gunshot wounds in the hip and legs which resulted in several months of hospitalization. While in the base hospital, Travis claimed he "saw 14 or 15 wounded blacks within a radius of 40 feet." He recalled a Red Cross worker saying that "I don't know how may died and how many were wounded." He maintained that

9350-421: The second stanza, he breaks into an almost entirely improvised melody, which then evolves into a classic passage of Armstrong's scat singing. As with his trumpet playing, Armstrong's vocal innovations served as a foundation for jazz vocal interpretation. The uniquely gravelly coloration of his voice became an archetype that was endlessly imitated. Armstrong's scat singing was enriched by his matchless experience as

9460-561: The second trumpet for the Tuxedo Brass Band . Throughout his riverboat experience, Armstrong's musicianship began to mature and expand. At age 20, he could read music. Armstrong became one of the first jazz musicians to be featured on extended trumpet solos, injecting his own personality and style. Armstrong also started singing in his performances. In 1922, Armstrong moved to Chicago at the invitation of King Oliver, although Armstrong would return to New Orleans periodically for

9570-427: The side of the Karnoffskys' junk wagon. Armstrong tried playing a tin horn to attract customers to distinguish them from other hawkers. Morris Karnoffsky gave Armstrong an advance toward purchasing a cornet from a pawn shop. Later, as an adult, Armstrong wore a Star of David given to him by his Jewish manager, Joe Glaser, until the end of his life, in part in memory of this family who had raised him. When Armstrong

9680-515: The song became his biggest-selling record yet. Armstrong started to work at Connie's Inn in Harlem, chief rival to the Cotton Club , a venue for elaborately staged floor shows, and a front for gangster Dutch Schultz . Armstrong had considerable success with vocal recordings, including versions of songs composed by his old friend Hoagy Carmichael . His 1930s recordings took full advantage of

9790-482: The summer of 1923 after being told that Armstrong was "out of work, out of money, hungry, and sick"; Hardin located and decorated an apartment for her to live in while she stayed. Armstrong and Oliver parted amicably in 1924. Shortly afterward, Armstrong was invited to go to New York City to play with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the top African-American band of the time. He switched to

9900-517: The summer of 1947, fifty-seven acres of the camp, including the warehouse area with buildings totaling 251,164 square feet of floor space and some two miles of railroad sidings, were purchased by the GBMA. The original price the government was asking for the 57 acres was $ 200,000 but the trustees managed to have the figure reduced to $ 40,500. The businessmen sold the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, located in Sharon,

10010-434: The total number of prisoners based at Reynolds at the end of the conflict totaled 1,868, including 1,839 enlisted men and 29 non-commissioned officers. Not long before the last of the prisoners departed several hundred of their number was ushered into a post theater and shown motion picture footage they probably never will forget during the balance of their lives. This first area showing of the U.S. Signal Corps films depicting

10120-421: The train to remote Richmond, Indiana , and the band was paid little. The quality of the performances was affected by a lack of rehearsal, crude recording equipment, bad acoustics, and a cramped studio. These early recordings were true acoustic , the band playing directly into a large funnel connected directly to the needle making the groove in the master recording. The much improved Electrical recording system with

10230-587: The trumpet to blend in better with the other musicians in his section. Armstrong's influence on Henderson's tenor sax soloist, Coleman Hawkins , can be judged by listening to the records made by the band during this period. Armstrong adapted to Henderson's tightly controlled style, playing the trumpet and experimenting with the trombone. The other members were affected by Armstrong's emotional style. His act included singing and telling tales of New Orleans characters, especially preachers. The Henderson Orchestra played in prominent venues for white patrons only, including

10340-432: The trustees to make loans to under-capitalized firms that were attracted to the area. In 1949 there were 10 new industries at Reynolds. During 1950, a total of 61 one-family homes were built and sold within the limits of the area. The following year the size of the project and the volume of transactions made it impossible for committee members to handle the project on their own. At that time they hired Robert B. Parker, Jr.,

10450-424: The trustees were able to purchase all of the land in the area with the exception of that owned by Mr. Templeton. Negotiations with an engineering firm for development of the site already had begun and the land belonging to the association completely surrounded Mr. Templeton's 258 acres with the exception of his property's east boundary. After several more conferences Mr. Templeton offered to sell his property. His offer

10560-464: The venue, she experimented, developed, and expanded her scat singing with Armstrong's guidance and encouragement. In the first half of 1927, Armstrong assembled his Hot Seven group, which added drummer Al "Baby" Dodds and tuba player Pete Briggs while preserving most of his original Hot Five lineup. John Thomas replaced Kid Ory on the trombone. Later that year, Armstrong organized a series of new Hot Five sessions, which resulted in nine more records. In

10670-415: The very early construction days was Lt. Col. G.H. Sunderman, who came Oct. 1, 1942, and was followed by a quartermaster detachment of seven men from Fort Monroe, VA. On Nov. 4, Lt. Col. George H. Cherrington arrived and was followed by the first components of the headquarters company from New Cumberland, PA. Colonel Zim E. Lawhon took over on May 27, 1943, coming from the general staff of the War Department. It

10780-472: The war's European theater of operations. Upon receiving their contract awards, Gannett, Eastman, Fleming of Harrisburg, and Mellon-Stuart Construction Co. of Pittsburgh designed and built the encampment to last just three years, but also to be unlike any other military depot at the time. Upon completion, it would include barracks for 30,000 troops, chapels, dayrooms, fire stations and hundreds of fire hydrants, guest quarters, gymnasiums and three obstacle courses,

10890-513: The war. When the war ended and plans were under way for abandonment of the camp a wide variety of ideas for its post-war use sprang up. Many concerned people wanted to see the land developed rather than watch it revert to potato farms. The idea of developing an air express terminal was advanced by more than half a dozen Mercer County communities. The site was approved by the Pennsylvania Aeronautics Commission, but

11000-528: Was 11, he dropped out of school. His mother moved into a one-room house on Perdido Street with Armstrong, Lucy, and her common-law husband, Tom Lee, next door to her brother Ike and his two sons. Armstrong joined a quartet of boys who sang in the streets for money. Cornetist Bunk Johnson said he taught the eleven-year-old to play by ear at Dago Tony's honky tonk. In his later years, Armstrong credited King Oliver. Armstrong said about his youth, "Every time I close my eyes blowing that trumpet of mine—I look right in

11110-522: Was accepted and the purchase was made. After purchasing the area the association trustees and acquired five additional structures with floor space of over 300,000 square feet, over two miles of railroad sidings, about eight miles of paved roads, 639,000 square yards of walks, parking areas and water-bound roads. The purchase price for the land and buildings was $ 76,629. By the end of 1950, the association had received about $ 170,000 from rentals and lease-purchase agreements. There were enough surpluses to allow

11220-409: Was also an influential singer and skillful improviser. He was also skilled at scat singing . By the end of Armstrong's life, his influence had spread to popular music. He was one of the first popular African-American entertainers to "cross over" to wide popularity with white and international audiences. Armstrong rarely publicly discussed racial issues, to the dismay of fellow African Americans, but took

11330-584: Was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz . His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz. Armstrong received numerous accolades including the Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal Performance for Hello, Dolly! in 1965, as well as a posthumous win for the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972. His influence crossed musical genres, with inductions into

11440-515: Was designated commander. He served in that capacity until the replacement depot was deactivated to the Indiantown Gap Military Reservation on Dec. 11, 1944. After his departure Camp Reynolds assumed a ghost town appearance. The last commander was Lt. Co. George Blaney. He took over after the post became the army's first full-time canvas and webbing repair facility. At that time it had a complement of about 300 to man

11550-513: Was during Colonel Lawhon's command that the name of the camp was changed from Shenango on September 21, 1943, to Reynolds in honor of General John F. Reynolds , who was a hero of the Civil War and had been felled by a Confederate sharpshooter on the opening day of the Battle of Gettysburg. After Lawhon's death came Col. George E. Couper, who commanded until Dec. 23 when Brig. Gen. Jesse A. Ladd

11660-459: Was featured as a guest artist with Lionel Hampton's band at the famed second Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. , on October 12, 1946. Armstrong also led a highly successful small-group jazz concert at New York Town Hall on May 17, 1947, featuring him with trombonist/singer Jack Teagarden . During the concert, Armstrong and Teagarden performed

11770-402: Was from Boutte, Louisiana and gave birth at home when she was about 16. Less than a year and a half later, they had a daughter, Beatrice "Mama Lucy" Armstrong (1903–1987), who Albert raised. William Armstrong abandoned the family shortly after that. Louis Armstrong was raised by his grandmother until the age of five, when he was returned to his mother. Armstrong spent his youth in poverty in

11880-556: Was now free to develop his style as he wished, which included a heavy dose of effervescent jive, such as "Whip That Thing, Miss Lil" and "Mr. Johnny Dodds, Aw, Do That Clarinet, Boy!" Armstrong also played with Erskine Tate 's Little Symphony, mostly at the Vendome Theatre. They furnished music for silent movies and live shows, including jazz versions of classical music, such as " Madame Butterfly ", which gave Armstrong experience with longer forms of music and with hosting before

11990-423: Was short-lived. A few of the prisoners did attempt to escape from Reynolds but in all instances except one the escapees were caught and returned to camp. One man who got away never was captured. Perhaps the most notorious of the Reynolds' escapees was a young man named Heinz Golz. He attempted three escapes. He was recaptured the first time near Oil City and on another occasion had to be rescued by police from atop

12100-435: Was the first jazz musician to appear on the cover of Time magazine on February 21, 1949. He and his All-Stars were featured at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert also at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. held on June 7, 1953, along with Shorty Rogers , Roy Brown , Don Tosti and His Mexican Jazzmen, Earl Bostic , and Nat "King" Cole . Over 30 years, Armstrong played more than 300 performances

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