James Brown Humphrey (1859-1935)

Professor James Brown Humphrey, often called “Professor Jim” Humphrey, was born on 25 November 1859 on his father’s Cornland Plantation, situated in part of what is today Reserve, Louisiana. Young Jim’s light complexion and red hair attested to his mixed parentage. His father, James Brown Humphreys, was the owner of Cornland and later served as Sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish. His mother, Eva Kelsen, was an enslaved woman who died in New Orleans in 1871. Jim had an older brother named Henry, whose nickname was “Red.” Henry, a chef of some acclaim, later migrated to Chicago and then Davenport, Iowa, where he died in 1910. Arriving in New Orleans in the mid-1860s, he attended public schools and eventually received a certificate of scholarship from Straight University, which included a high school department. While at Straight he learned to play various instruments, though much of his musical development was self-taught.

Inset of 1858 Persac Plantation Map showing James Humphreys’ plantation on west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish

Having a strong desire to help less fortunate individuals, J. B. Humphrey decided to become a music teacher. He traveled the plantation belt, going from home to home, in rural areas of Louisiana, teaching men and women how to play musical instruments. Often traveling by train, he pulled up to large farms, persuaded owners to pay for the lessons to teach fieldworkers and house servants music. In return, the landowners provided instruments in hope of securing a low-wage labor force and keeping their workers happy.  

Soon Humphrey began making weekly train trips to plantations as far as 25 miles up and down the Mississippi. He organized and trained black field hands and sharecroppers at sites such as Magnolia Plantation, Deer Range, and Woodland in LaPlace, the home of Kid Ory.

Professor Humphrey’s cornet solo a feature of the opening of Southern University’s Magazine Street campus on 14 March 1887 (The Weekly Pelican
12 March 1887, p. 3).

Professor Humphrey enforced strict discipline, dismissed underperforming students and required nightly scale practice. He charged 25 cents per lesson and eventually was able to bring his pupils to New Orleans for parades on holidays, such as Carnival and Labor Day. Humphrey composed original musical exercises and arrangements tailored for his plantation and New Orleans bands, focusing on practical pieces that enhanced students’ learning. He regularly wrote new marches, waltzes, and simple melodies on available material like wrapping paper, adapting complex scores into easier orchestrations suitable for more amateur musicians.

The brass band movement was at the height of popularity during the turn of the century, and New Orleans was quickly becoming a haven for brass bands. Professor Humphrey is acclaimed to be instrumental in training the large field of skilled musicians that filled the need. By training musicians, he enabled them to eventfully leave plantation life and pursue careers in the city of New Orleans.

Professor Humphrey with grandson Emery Thompson.

In 1887, Humphrey was taken with a paralysis of the nerve of the lip, affecting him in such a manner that he could not produce any sound on his cornet. Becoming alarmed, but not discouraged, the ambitious musician began the study of the clarinet, flute, and violin. He made such progress that he was selected as Professor of Music for Straight, Columbia, and Southern universities from 1886-1889. As a result of his popularity, hundreds of people sought Professor Humphrey to teach them privately. Over the many years of his career, Professor Humphrey emerged as a key figure in the organization and direction of brass bands in the New Orleans region.

During his legendary career, J.B. Humphrey taught music to the following bands: Excelsior Brass Band, Pelican Brass Band, Onward Brass Band, Reynolds Brass Band, Preservation Brass Band, Henry Murphy Brass Band, and Enterprise Brass Band.

Many of J.B. Humphrey’s students eventually moved to New Orleans following the 1915 flood which devastated so many rural homes. Many of them went on to become the core group of working musicians of the city. Professor Humphrey was an influential African-American cornetist, music educator, and bandleader in the late 19^th and early 20^th century New Orleans, whose teachings and organization efforts trained numerous pioneers of early jazz.

Professor “Jim” with wife, Ella Humphrey, and daughter, Jamesetta Humphrey Thompson.

Professor Humphrey married Miss Ella Washington, a native of Covington, in 1878, and together they raised four children: William Humphrey, Lillian Humphrey Smith of Los Angeles, Birdie Humphrey of Chicago, and Jamesetta Humphrey Thompson. All four children played various instruments, while father played them all.

Percy and Willie Humphrey, popular musicians and grandsons of Professor “Jim.”

The love of music passed down even to his grandchildren. Percy, Earl and Willie Jr. were all taught by their grandfather. Percy Humphrey (1905-1995), a trumpeter, became a cornerstone of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, by preserving New Orleans traditional jazz through decades of performances and recordings. His brother, Willie Humphrey Jr. (1900-1994), excelled as a clarinetist, and joined the Preservation Hall ensemble. Another grandson, Earl Humphrey, contributed alongside his siblings, while Emery Humphrey Thompson performed with the Dooky Chase Band and Louis Armstrong group in the 1940s.

Professor James B. Humphrey persisted in his roles as a performer, band leader, and teacher well into old age. He gradually scaled back public performances due to age but maintained daily cornet practice on his porch in uptown New Orleans. He also loved gardening and was known for making many investments in real estate.  It was through his influence that many of the old residents in his neighborhood purchased homes.

Professor Humphrey passed away on his birthday, 25 November 1935. He was 76 years old. Funeral services were held from his home at 4525 South Liberty Street, with religious services at Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church. He is interred with his family in Mount Olivet Cemetery. 

Humphrey Family coping in Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Sources: The Louisiana Weekly, 7 December 1935, p. 2; The Times–Picayune, 25 November 1935, p. 2; Jason Berry, City of a Million Dreams: A History of New Orleans at Year 300 (University of North Carolina 2018), 174-175; Hogan Jazz Archives, Tulane University Special Collections. 

Lolita Villavasso Cherrie

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