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The Coleman Hawkins jazz trio performs in Amsterdam.

Photograph | Photograph Number: 82358
The Coleman Hawkins jazz trio performs in Amsterdam. Pictured are Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax), Maurice van Cleef (drums) and Freddy Johnson (piano). The original caption reads: "To Aunt Hattie, In remembrance of all her kindness to my family and self. I shall never forget it, Freddy."

The Coleman Hawkins jazz trio performs in Amsterdam.

Pictured are Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax), Maurice van Cleef (drums) and Freddy Johnson (piano).

The original caption reads: "To Aunt Hattie, In remembrance of all her kindness to my family and self. I shall never forget it, Freddy."

Date
1938 April 20
Photo Designation
INTERWAR EUROPE -- Netherlands
Photo Credit
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Sullivan & Gloria McKissic
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About This Photograph

Biography
Freddy (Frederick) Johnson, an African-American jazz pianist and grandfather of the donor was born on March 12, 1904. He was married to Ida Mack (b. 2/4/1904, Charleston, S.C.) and they had two daughters Jacqueline (b. 8/21/1927) and Marilyn (b. 5/9/1926). The family migrated to Cannes, France in 1930 to escape American racism and develop professional opportunities. From there they moved to Paris and The Hague. Soon after Pearl Harbor Freddy Johnson was arrested. He first was sent to Amersfoort and later was interned in Tittmoning, a camp for foreign nationals. He was kept there from January 1942 until February 1944. About a year after his arrest, his wife and daughters were rounded up sent to Amersfoort and then interned in Liebenau, another camp for foreign nationals. They were released a few months after Freddy. Freddy returned once to Amsterdam shortly before his death on March 24, 1961.

Keywords and Subjects

Rights and Restrictions

Photo Source
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Copyright: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Provenance: Sullivan & Gloria McKissic
 
Record last modified: 2016-05-05 00:00:00
This page: https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/pa1181544