Wesley Howard

Wesley Howard
Wesley Howard
	Studio portrait of Wesley Howard from 1921
Born	February 1, 1892; Springfield, Ohio, US
Died	November 1962 (aged 70); Pierpont Township, Ohio, US
Occupation(s)	Professor, classical musician

Wesley Isaac Howard (February 1, 1892 – November 1962) was a violinist and professor in charge of the violin and ensemble departments at the Howard University Conservatory of Music from 1921 to 1927.^[1]^[2]

Howard attended the New England Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1916.^[3] He was an assistant band leader in the 809th Pioneer Infantry in World War One.^[4]^[5] He returned to study abroad in 1921 and received a certificate of commendation from Maurice Hayot at École Normale de Musique de Paris.^[2]

He played for five years in two different white symphony orchestras and managed the orchestra at the Hampton Institute.^[4]^{: 384–385} He was awarded a Wanamaker Music Contest prize in 1927 and played with Roland Hayes for several seasons.^[4]^: 274^[6]

Personal life

Howard was born in Springfield, Ohio to Preston Howard and Mary Thomas.^[7] He moved to Richmond, Indiana when he was six years old.^[8] He married Harriet Nelson in 1920.^[7]

He was found dead at his home in Pierpont Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio on November 29, 1962. He had last been seen alive on November 22.^[9]

References

^ Dyson, Walter (1941). Howard University, the capstone of negro education : a history. Washington, D.C.: Graduate School, Howard University. p. 135. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Howard, Wesley". Digital Library of Georgia. July 25, 1921. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ The Crisis. The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc. November 1916. p. 28. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cuney-Hare, Maud (1936). Negro Musicians and Their Music. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ Lefferts, PM. "Black US Army Bands and Their Bandmasters in World War I". DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. University of Nebraska. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ "Letter from Wesley Howard to Augustus Granville Dill, April 30, 1925". W. E. B. Du Bois Papers. Special Collections and University Archives University of Massachusetts Amherst. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013". FamilySearch. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
^ "Violinist will play at benefit". The Richmond Palladium. Vol. 42, no. 32. December 19, 1916. Retrieved June 10, 2025 – via Chronicling America.
^ "Wesley I. Howard Dies; Violinist, Local Graduate". Palladium-Item. Richmond, Indiana. January 16, 1963. p. 13. Retrieved June 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.