Dan Desdunes
| Daniel F. Desdunes | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | c1870 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died |
April 24, 1929 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Straight University |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Spouse(s) | Victoria Oliver |
Daniel F. Desdunes (c.1870 – April 24, 1929) was a civil rights activist and musician in New Orleans and Omaha. In 1892, he volunteered to board a train car designated for whites in violation of the 1890 Separate Car Act to allow New Orleans civil rights activist involved in the Comité des Citoyens to challenge the law in the courts. The train he boarded was an inter-state train, and it was found the law did not apply in this case. Shortly later, another member of the Comité des Citoyens, Homer Plessy, boarded an intrastate train leading to the case, Plessy vs Ferguson. Desduens became a musician, directing bands, orchestras, and minstrel shows and playing many instruments, including the coronet, the violin, the baritone horn, and the trombone. He was known for many styles, including minstrel, ragtime, jazz, gospel,classical, and marching. He performed under the direction of Perry George Lowery in the P. T. Wright led Nashville Students and under Harry Prampin in Lash E. Gideon's Grand Afro American Mastodon Minstrels and Gideons Big Minstrel Carnival. In 1904 he moved to Omaha where his band became a fixture in civic life and he also led the Boys Town Band at Father Flanagan's Boys Town. He was described as the "father of negro musicians of Omaha" in Harrison J. Pinkett's 1937 manuscript, "An Historical Sketch of the Omaha Negro."
Daniel Desdunes was born in about 1870 (perhaps 1873) to Rodolphe Lucien and Mathilde (Cheval). His siblings were Agnes (about 1873), Louise (about 1874), Coritza (born in 1876), and Wendelle (born winter 1876-1877). Rodolphe was a customs agent, civil rights activist, journalist, historian, and poet. In 1879, Rodolphe started a relationship with Clementine Walker, born in 1860 and daughter of John and Ophelia Walker. Rodolphe and Clementine had at least four children, Mary Celine (in 1879), John Alexander (1881), Louise (1889), and Oscar (1892). Clementine died September 23, 1893. Mary Celine later became known as Mamie Desdunes and was a blues pianist. Clementine lived near Jelly Roll Morton's godmother and Jérémie and Henriette Desdunes were neighbors of Morton's mother. From this proximity, Morton learned the song he recorded as "Mamie's Blues" or "2:19 Blues" and attributed to Mamie, singing, "Can’t give a dollar, give a lousy dime,/ I wanna feed that hungry man of mine." Other associates of Mamie included performer Bunk Johnson and promoters Hattie Rogers and Lulu White. Mamie was born March 25, 1879, married George Degay in 1898, and died of tuberculosis December 4, 1911. Oscar was also a musician and played with his nephew Clarence's (son of Daniel) band, the Joyland Revellers, after Clarence's death in 1933. Rodolphe had three other daughters, possibly by Clementine, named Edna, Lucille, and Jeanne (born about 1893).
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