Louis Armstrong
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- Date Submitted: 10/06/2016 03:23 PM
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Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1901. His parents were William and Mary Albert Armstrong. Louis’s father left him and his mother around the time Louis was born. So Louis was raised by his mother and grandmother. While his father was in and out of his life.
When Louis was about 12 years old he went out with his friends on New Year’s Eve of 1913. They were walking around their neighborhood when one of the boys Louis was with, shot off a cap gun. Then, Louis pulled out a 45-caliber pistol he had stolen from his mother. He shot 6 shots before the police came. His friends took off running and Louis was arrested and charged with delinquency of a minor, disturbing the peace, and firing a gun in public. He was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys until the judge let him out or someone important said he would be productive in society and not get into any more trouble.
While at the Waif’s Home he learned how to play the cornet from Peter Davis, the music instructor, and played in the band. In 1914, Louis’s father, William Armstrong, convinced his boss to vouch for his son. Louis was then released into his father’s custody. Louis then lived with his father, stepmother Gertrude, and his 2 stepbrothers: Henry and Willie. While living with them, Louis was often the “odd one out”. They mostly left him out of everything they did. Louis was sent back to his mother when his stepmother found out she was having another child. Louis finished school with a 5th grade education.
It seemed to Louis like only gamblers and pimps made money so for a while he got involved with gambling. Sometimes he lost more than what he could afford to lose but sometimes he got lucky. When his mother found all the money he had won he expected her to whip him, instead she reminded him how hard it was to get him out of the Waif’s Home. He helped him mom and sister by giving them money and buying them clothes. He also bought clothes for himself.
He had many odd jobs during...
Louis Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1901. His parents were William and Mary Albert Armstrong. Louis’s father left him and his mother around the time Louis was born. So Louis was raised by his mother and grandmother. While his father was in and out of his life.
When Louis was about 12 years old he went out with his friends on New Year’s Eve of 1913. They were walking around their neighborhood when one of the boys Louis was with, shot off a cap gun. Then, Louis pulled out a 45-caliber pistol he had stolen from his mother. He shot 6 shots before the police came. His friends took off running and Louis was arrested and charged with delinquency of a minor, disturbing the peace, and firing a gun in public. He was sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys until the judge let him out or someone important said he would be productive in society and not get into any more trouble.
While at the Waif’s Home he learned how to play the cornet from Peter Davis, the music instructor, and played in the band. In 1914, Louis’s father, William Armstrong, convinced his boss to vouch for his son. Louis was then released into his father’s custody. Louis then lived with his father, stepmother Gertrude, and his 2 stepbrothers: Henry and Willie. While living with them, Louis was often the “odd one out”. They mostly left him out of everything they did. Louis was sent back to his mother when his stepmother found out she was having another child. Louis finished school with a 5th grade education.
It seemed to Louis like only gamblers and pimps made money so for a while he got involved with gambling. Sometimes he lost more than what he could afford to lose but sometimes he got lucky. When his mother found all the money he had won he expected her to whip him, instead she reminded him how hard it was to get him out of the Waif’s Home. He helped him mom and sister by giving them money and buying them clothes. He also bought clothes for himself.
He had many odd jobs during...