For the past month, I have been lost in researching my cousin Anna Belle McCall Martin Martin Giampino’s life. My plan was to write her up for the second person in my 52 ancestors in 52 weeks series. Right now I am behind by about six weeks. While looking I found a third husband, an eighth child and her death, among other things.

One of these was a newspaper article that described a recital where Anna Belle McCall sang “Oh Dry Those Tears”. I realized that my grandmother Pearl Reed had sung the same song at a different recital.  You can hear this song at the end of the post.

Twenty two year old Anna Belle sang in Montgomery in 1904.  She had graduated from and taught at Alabama State Normal School, where the program was given. At the time she lived at home with her parents and siblings.

My grandmother Pearl sang in Indianapolis Indiana in 1909. She was twenty three and lived at home with her mother and brother. She sang with her church choir at Witherspoon Presbyterian Church on Sundays and regularly in community and church programs. Several years ago I found this news clipping among family photographs.

Sings in Concert at Simpson Chapel

“The violin recital of Clarence Cameron White will be given this evening at Simpson Chapel under the direction of the colored Y.M.C.A. Orchestra. He will be supported by the best local talent.

The following program will be given:

Overture-“Northern Lights,” Y.M.C.A. Orchestra.
Violin- Hungarian Rhapsodie, Clarence Cameron White.
Solo – “Oh, Dry Those Tears.” Miss Pearl D. Reed.
Piano – (a) Valse in C sharp minor: (b) Polaise in A major, Mrs. Alberta J. Grubbs.
Violin – Tran Merci; (d) Scherzo. Clarence Cameron White.
Intermission
Orchestra – “The Spartan” Orchestra
Vocal – “Good-bye” Miss Pearl D. Reed.
Readings – A.A. Taylor
Selection – “The Bird and the Brook” Orchestra

An Evening With McCall

Poems of Blind Negro Poet Recited at Normal School

“A goodly crowd of representative negro citizens of Montgomery was present last night at the chapel of the State Normal School to participate in an “Evening with Poet McCall.” The entertainment consisted of recitations of some of the works of Montgomery’s blind negro poet interspersed with musical selections both vocal and instrumental.

The poems presented were well selected, embracing lyric, epic, didactic and satiric compositions of James Edward McCall and were rendered in a suitable and sympathetic manner by members of his race. The poet himself was present, seated among the audience.

N.H. Alexander acted as master of ceremonies and in a few introductory remarks dwelt upon the character of McCall’s work and stated that the object of the meeting was to pay tribute to the genius of one of their own race.

Also noteworthy were the remarks of William Phillips who gave a sketch of the life of the blind poet and spoke of the favorable appreciation his poems had met with both among his own race and the white people in Montgomery and elsewhere.”