A Great African American Musician, Louis Armstrong

549 Words2 Pages

Louis Armstrong Biography

Younger Years

The great musician, Louis Armstrong was born on the 4th day of August in 1901, in Louisiana, New Orleans. Louis lived an extremely tough childhood. His father worked as a factory worker, who abandoned the family quickly after Louis's birth. His mother, frequently left the family and left him with his maternal grandmother. Louis was forced to leave the fifth grade to start working. The Karnofsky’s, a Jewish family offered young Louis a job collecting junk, and distributing coal. The Karnofsky's also encouraged him to sing, they also invited him to meals & dinners and special events.

On a beautiful New Years Eve in 1912, Louis got arrested for shooting his stepfathers gun during the celebration. Then was in hand cuffs right after. Armstrong was put in the Colored Waif's Home for boys. This is where his extreme passion for music all started. At the home, he received musical lessons on the cornet, that’s where he fell in deep passion for his music. During the year of 1914, Louis was released from the home and immediately started and b...

Open Document