I don’t know how to express the pride I feel when I get to learn something from individuals who are younger than I. I feel so proud of a group of our students who are working on a production honoring an important historical firgure from right here in Milwaukee that is rarely discussed. While I have not had the privlege of knowing this person prior to this event, I am so proud of our high school students for engaging in important work and collaborations including with the Wisconsin Black History Museum.
While not oringinally from Wisconsin, J. Howard Offutt was born on July 9Th in Glencoe IL, an integrated community of German and Italian immigrants. While in school, he studied voice, violin, and piano. While in the army band, he learned saxophone in just two weeks and traveled with the American Syncopated Orchestra. While in the army, he was injured and continued to play music as this was incredibly important. J.Howard Offutt adcocated for sponsorship from the Red Cross to play music to other wounded soldiers.
Post military, J. Howard Offutt traveled to France to continue to study violin which led him to the National University of Music in Chicago. Upon graduation, J. Howard Offutt became Professor J. Howard Offutt teaching violin and eventually establishing his own studio.
What has not yet been mentioned is the time in which Professor J. Howard Offutt lived. He lived from 1892-1986. Professor J. Howard Offutt provided care and service to his community through the great depression, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement. Professor J. Howard Offutt’s work in Milwaukee began in 1930 at St. Mark’s Church. While he was not making a salary, he founded the gendered groups of the Young People’s Chorus. Professor J. Howard Offutt moved the communities he worked with towards activism using one hour of the Sunday morning services to write letters to legislation. Ouffutt created Wisconsin’s first racially integrated Youth Chorus performing in front of key figures including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr when he was at UWM in 1965.
While I would like to continue to learn more about the incredibly important figures without our history, I feel such pride getting to earn this from our students. I am excited to see this group of students perform on the 14th, which ha been a culmination of research, including connecting with one of Offutt’s former students, and performing music so deeply meaningfull. I am proud to have gotten to learn a little more as a result of the community’s children’s wisdom.
South Milwaukee Blog 