Hazel Scott was the first African-American women to have her own (short-lived) television show entitled The Hazel Scott Show in 1950, which was canceled later that year as she was accused of being a “Communist sympathizer” for her opposition to McCarthyism and segregation. Scott, a beloved pianist, procured a spot at the renown Juilliard School of Music after being granted 6 scholarships following a performance at the age of 14 (she started playing piano at the age of 2). By the time she was able to attend the prestigious academy (age 16) she had already become a radio star.
Charles Mingus has been considered one of the most important figures in jazz performance and composition–and American music in general. Nicknamed “the Angry Man of Jazz,” Mingus not only was talented but also daring. A virtuoso bass player, he studied under the principal bassist of the New York Philharmonic and performed alongside Charlie Parker and Miles Davis during his career.
