Integration in drum corps?

[silvertrombone]

I screwed this one up...I posted it in the OC deal. Meant to post it here. Sorry.

Hey, here's a new topic I've never seen before. My little '49 West Point football analogy got me to thinking. Let's talk about integration in drum corps.

Jackie Robinson was the first black in Major League Baseball. Pro and college sports didn't used to have black athletes. I figured maybe drum corps didn't used to be as diverse as it is today. Anyone know anything on this topic? I think it might be an interesting study/survey for DCI. Or an attempt at intelligent attempt at conversation on the planet!

I realize that the majority of participants are anglo, probably deriving from the high cost of participating in band and the correlation with the equally high percentage of anglo students in school bands.

Couple of thoughts to consider...

Drum corps started as a neighborhood thing...what kind of diversity existed in each era/decade?

What impact did "white flight" have on drum corps as neighborhoods became higher minority populations in urban settings? Also take into account the shift from neighborhood ensembles to national auditions in this one.

Any drum corps from the "neighborhood" era that were minority in focus?

I'm really curious about this. Anyone with info? DCI kind of came about long enough after the Civil Rights era that any "integration" may have already occured long before it came about.

I've never once heard any charges of racism in the drum corps activity, which I think is pretty notable. Granted, the arts tend to follow that rule, but I think it is worth pointing out that our activity is one of the most diverse and accepting out there.

Any insight?

[jonnyboy]

When I taught a DIV 2 corps 94-98 we had two brothers who's dad used to march "back in the day". Their father was a successful businessman, was African-American, and was asked to talk to the kids as part of corps program to expand members horizons about the world (As a side note that kind of thing is awesome...giving kids a real world education beyond corps for an hour or two each camp).

Anyway, the speaker talked about marching drumcorps in the 60s in Kansas City. He talked about the great lessons that corps offers youth, and he talked about instances of racism. In particular I remember one story of the corps stopping for food. Remember, this was WAY before food trucks and most corps just stopped at a restaurant. His corps was largly African-American, and the kids were asked to eat outside in the back or not allowed in many establishments. He also spoke of black/white rest rooms and water fountains. Interesting stuff, and a real shocker to many of those kids that stuff like that ever happened in a corps setting, but that was the world back then.

[rootofthechord]

Any drum corps from the "neighborhood" era that were minority in focus?

The Mandarins were originally a Chinese-only organization. The first non-Chinese member was a Japanese kid who looked Chinese enough and wasn't caught. (Don't ask, don't tell! )

Eventually (I can't remember when; it might have been a couple of years later), the corps started accepting non-Chinese members.

[luis]

My dad told me a story of when he marched in the skyryders in 1955-59, he told me that there was african-americans kids in the drum corps, especially one day they were somewhere in the Oklahoma and they went to a diner the people told them that they didn't serve african americans so all the corp went to eat somewhre else

[84BDsop]

My dad told me a story of when he marched in the skyryders in 1955-59, he told me that there was african-americans kids in the drum corps, especially one day they were somewhere in the Oklahoma and they went to a diner the people told them that they didn't serve african americans so all the corp went to eat somewhre else

*sigh* That happened to a Blue Devil bari in the deep south....in 1983.

[JimF-LowBari]

Best DC integration story I read dealt with PAL (Police Athletic Leagure) Cadets out of Bridgeport, CT. They went down south for either AL and VFW in 50s or 60s and the black kids did everything with the white kids in spite of what the idiots down there said. Can only remember some white members telling a black member to go in the "whites only" bathroom because the all "#### together". Of course when the chaperones(sp) are big ###ed mean looking police officers it helps. (Read in "History of Drum Corps Volume II).

You might not know it but there were American Legion Posts that had all-black (or almost all black) membership. One of those is still around in my area but no idea of the memebrship today.

All-black (far as I know) corps in the Sr world: Spirit of St Louis (AL Post #77) and George Washington Carver Gay Blades.

Edited February 8, 2010 by JimF-3rdBari

[tradition]

In 1967 or there abouts the Barons of Steuben went into a sea food place in the Boston area. We had all ordered when the management went to our director and told him that they wouldnt being serving a couple of the members because they were black. My Dad the director said.....okay everybody on the buses we are leaving....the manager said you cant just leave we have begun serving......my dad said you should have thought of that when you refused to serve those children.

[NR_Ohiobando]

In 1967 or there abouts the Barons of Steuben went into a sea food place in the Boston area. We had all ordered when the management went to our director and told him that they wouldnt being serving a couple of the members because they were black. My Dad the director said.....okay everybody on the buses we are leaving....the manager said you cant just leave we have begun serving......my dad said you should have thought of that when you refused to serve those children.

awesome!

[Northern Thunder]

There are scores of African-American corps that go back to the 1920's. Spirit of St. Louis, Hornets, CMCC Warriors, New York Lancers/Morrisanian Lancers, Memorial Lancers, Ebony Guard, Sabre's Edge, Carter Cadets, Wynn Center Toppers, VIPs, Page Park Cadets, Riversiders, Kips Bay, Quest, Brooklyn Cadets, Giles Yellow Jackets and Mighty Liberators are some that come to mind.

[bearz]

Blue Stars had a black drum major in 76. He's still involved as an alumni. I think he may have posted about his experiences here. I'm sure I was naive back then but I never thought anything one way or the other about it. Corps from Chicago, Milw, Madison etc all had black members.