He was born in Springfield, Ohio. In 1897 he became a founding member of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield. After that, he dedicated his life to music and became a cabaret singer.[citation needed] He was chorus director at Bethel A. M. E. Church in Pittsburgh until 1901.[1] He was a baritone vocalist[2] and in 1905, he graduated from the Toledo Conservatory of Music.[3] He also attended Western Pennsylvania University.[4] At the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he accompanied a 25 piece orchestra and a 200-member choir in singing Strauss's "An der schönen blauen Donau".[citation needed]
In 1906, he went to Europe and established himself as an interpreter of "Negro Spirituals". For 20 years, he sang in the Netherlands to cheering audiences. In 1930, he retired to Sachsenhausen, a suburb of Frankfurt am Main, Germany.[citation needed] His house in Sachsenhausen was bombed in 1944. and he moved to Schwalbach.[4]
After World War II, Spyglass became an interpreter and receptionist in the US consulate in Frankfurt.[4] His job was to greet visitors to the consulate—many of them intending to become emigrants to the US—and to direct them to the appropriate office. Spyglass was fluent in five European languages. In Sachsenhausen he opened up language classes and taught English to local townspeople for a number of years.[citation needed]
In 1947, he had an interview with Will Lang Jr. of Life to discuss his life and his role as a receptionist. According to Lang, Spyglass's "pleasant coffee-colored face" greeted everyone who came "to do business with the US." Lang mentions that the consul general, Sidney B. Redecker, was one of the few people who addressed the "colored man" by his first name, Elmer. "To others he is known respectfully as 'Mr Spyglass.'" Will Lang's article appeared in Life on November 3, 1947.[citation needed]
On November 9, 1954, Spyglass became an honorary citizen of Schwalbach, Germany.[4] Spyglass died February 16, 1957. His ashes were returned to Yellow Springs, Ohio where he was buried beside his parents.[5]
Spyglass Prizeedit
On January 8, 1995, a student in Schwalbach was the first to receive the "James Elmer Spyglass Prize" for contributions to intercultural relations.
Referencesedit
^Notes for the Afro-American, The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) October 13, 1901, page 11, accessed April 24, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10508417/
^ abcdStone, Tom. Ohio Negro Made an Honorary Citizen of West German Town, The Daily Reporter (Dover, Ohio) December 2, 1954, page 7, accessed April 23, 2017 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10508742/
Lang, Will (11 March 1947). "Life's Reports: J. Elmer Spyglass – Ex cabaret singer helps Germans about the U.S. and its democracy". Life.
van Delden, Ate; Openeer, Herman (1979). "Vaderlandsche Jazz Geschiedenis". Doctor Jazz. 88.
zur Heide, Karl Gert (1983). "Elmer Spyglass". Doctor Jazz. 100.
Füllgrabe, Jörg (1994). "Wer war Elmer Spyglass". Schwalbach.
Higman, Christopher (1996). "Der Schwalbacher Ehrenbürger Elmer Spyglass (1877-1957)". Jahrbuch des Main-Taunus Kreises.
Vogt, Günther (1981). Schwalbach am Taunus: 781-1981. Druckerei Hugo Hassmüller.
Pehl, Hans; Schwab, Jürgen (2005). "Vom Kaiserreich zur Weimarer Republik". In Schwab, Jürgen (ed.). Der Frankfurt Sound (2nd ed.).
Higman, Chris. "Elmer Spyglass" (PDF).
Lotz, Rainer E. (December 2006). "Elmer James Spyglass. Singer, Instrumentalist and Diplomat – An Update (part 1)". Doctor Jazz. 44 (195): 10–17.
Lotz, Rainer E. (March 2007). "Elmer James Spyglass. Singer, Instrumentalist and Diplomat – An Update (part 2)". Doctor Jazz. 44 (196).
Lotz, Rainer E. (2008). "Spyglass, Elmer". The African American National Biography. Vol. 2. Harvard University Press.
Mutsaers, Lutgard (2019). "Een nieuwe lente en een international geluid: De Mei van Spyglass in Utrecht". Jaarboek Oud-Utrecht. pp. 229–255.
January 01, 1970
elmer, spyglass, james, elmer, spyglass, november, 1877, february, 1957, singer, worked, consulate, frankfurt, spyglass, 1901, contents, life, career, spyglass, prize, references, bibliographylife, career, edithe, born, springfield, ohio, 1897, became, foundin. James Elmer Spyglass November 1 1877 February 16 1957 was a singer and worked for the US consulate in Frankfurt Spyglass in 1901 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Spyglass Prize 3 References 4 BibliographyLife and career editHe was born in Springfield Ohio In 1897 he became a founding member of St John s Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield After that he dedicated his life to music and became a cabaret singer citation needed He was chorus director at Bethel A M E Church in Pittsburgh until 1901 1 He was a baritone vocalist 2 and in 1905 he graduated from the Toledo Conservatory of Music 3 He also attended Western Pennsylvania University 4 At the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania he accompanied a 25 piece orchestra and a 200 member choir in singing Strauss s An der schonen blauen Donau citation needed In 1906 he went to Europe and established himself as an interpreter of Negro Spirituals For 20 years he sang in the Netherlands to cheering audiences In 1930 he retired to Sachsenhausen a suburb of Frankfurt am Main Germany citation needed His house in Sachsenhausen was bombed in 1944 and he moved to Schwalbach 4 After World War II Spyglass became an interpreter and receptionist in the US consulate in Frankfurt 4 His job was to greet visitors to the consulate many of them intending to become emigrants to the US and to direct them to the appropriate office Spyglass was fluent in five European languages In Sachsenhausen he opened up language classes and taught English to local townspeople for a number of years citation needed In 1947 he had an interview with Will Lang Jr of Life to discuss his life and his role as a receptionist According to Lang Spyglass s pleasant coffee colored face greeted everyone who came to do business with the US Lang mentions that the consul general Sidney B Redecker was one of the few people who addressed the colored man by his first name Elmer To others he is known respectfully as Mr Spyglass Will Lang s article appeared in Life on November 3 1947 citation needed On November 9 1954 Spyglass became an honorary citizen of Schwalbach Germany 4 Spyglass died February 16 1957 His ashes were returned to Yellow Springs Ohio where he was buried beside his parents 5 Spyglass Prize editOn January 8 1995 a student in Schwalbach was the first to receive the James Elmer Spyglass Prize for contributions to intercultural relations References edit Notes for the Afro American The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh Pennsylvania October 13 1901 page 11 accessed April 24 2017 at https www newspapers com clip 10508417 Baritone Gives Recital The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh Pennsylvania April 11 1906 page 10 accessed April 24 2017 at https www newspapers com clip 10508570 baritone gives recital the pittsburgh No Headline The Pittsburgh Press Pittsburgh Pennsylvania June 24 1905 page 16 accessed April 24 2017 at https www newspapers com clip 10508526 no headline the pittsburgh press a b c d Stone Tom Ohio Negro Made an Honorary Citizen of West German Town The Daily Reporter Dover Ohio December 2 1954 page 7 accessed April 23 2017 at https www newspapers com clip 10508742 Famed Negro Dead at 79 The Indiana Gazette Indiana Pennsylvania February 21 1957 page 5 accessed April 24 2017 at https www newspapers com clip 10508890 famed negro dead at 79 the indiana Bibliography editLang Will 11 March 1947 Life s Reports J Elmer Spyglass Ex cabaret singer helps Germans about the U S and its democracy Life van Delden Ate Openeer Herman 1979 Vaderlandsche Jazz Geschiedenis Doctor Jazz 88 zur Heide Karl Gert 1983 Elmer Spyglass Doctor Jazz 100 Fullgrabe Jorg 1994 Wer war Elmer Spyglass Schwalbach Higman Christopher 1996 Der Schwalbacher Ehrenburger Elmer Spyglass 1877 1957 Jahrbuch des Main Taunus Kreises Vogt Gunther 1981 Schwalbach am Taunus 781 1981 Druckerei Hugo Hassmuller Pehl Hans Schwab Jurgen 2005 Vom Kaiserreich zur Weimarer Republik In Schwab Jurgen ed Der Frankfurt Sound 2nd ed Higman Chris Elmer Spyglass PDF Lotz Rainer E December 2006 Elmer James Spyglass Singer Instrumentalist and Diplomat An Update part 1 Doctor Jazz 44 195 10 17 Lotz Rainer E March 2007 Elmer James Spyglass Singer Instrumentalist and Diplomat An Update part 2 Doctor Jazz 44 196 Lotz Rainer E 2008 Spyglass Elmer The African American National Biography Vol 2 Harvard University Press Mutsaers Lutgard 2019 Een nieuwe lente en een international geluid De Mei van Spyglass in Utrecht Jaarboek Oud Utrecht pp 229 255 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title J Elmer Spyglass amp oldid 1218447507, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
