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Name
Ms. Moll
Honors Language Arts 10
16 February 2012
Outline
Thesis Statement: Modern day heroes don’t have magical powers or incredible strength, but
instead have ways to overcome challenges and the ability to change things as we know them.
Louis Armstrong, a magnificent trumpet player, represents a modern day hero because he not
only defeated discrimination during his time but also revolutionized the jazz era.
I. A hero makes the most out of the situations in life he has been dealt.
a. Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a very poor neighborhood, to
a mother only 15 years old (Fahlenkomp-Merrell 5).
b. The mother had to work as a prostitute in order to support the family since the
father abandoned them a few weeks after Louis was born (Ryan).
c. Armstrong formed a quartet to sing and play on the street corners and worked at
several jobs to provide money to his family (Britannica Biographies).
II. A hero has the courage to follow his heart and not let circumstances dictate his fate.
a. At age 7, Armstrong worked for a Russian Jewish family who fed him and
showed him kindness (Brothers 32).
b. At age 5, Armstrong bought his first cornet and taught himself to play (Elish 4).
c. While living at the Colored Waif’s Home as a juvenile delinquent, Armstrong
played the cornet in the Home’s band and music became his passion (“Louis
Armstrong”).
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III. Heroes can use their passion to overcome difficult circumstances.
a. Armstrong grew up in a time where segregation was prevalent in the southern
United States (Brothers 16).
b. “... I saw thousands of people, colored and white on the main floor.” (Brothers
19).
c. At one time, Armstrong formed a band made up of black and white musicians that
became the most popular band in the country (Fahlenkamp-Merrel 24).
d. Criticism came, in the late 1950s with the civil rights movement, where blacks
accused Armstrong of being subservient due to his performing primarily to white
audiences (Educational Broadcasting Corporation).
IV. Heroes have the ability to inspire others through their actions.
a. His sense of swing, harmony, and ability to create melodies filled with energy,
shaped the styles of the saxophonists, Bud Freeman and Coleman Hawkins
(Britannica Biographies).
b. “The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky; Are also in the faces of people
going by; I see friends shakin' hands, saying ‘How do you do?’; They're really
saying ‘I Love you!’” (Collonia).
c. Armstrong was always a humble man, viewing himself as “Just a plain old
Louisiana boy.” (Sanders)
d. He was a very humble man, choosing to quietly give away millions of dollars to
those he saw in need (Bergreen 62)
Conclusion: Louis Armstrong was a remarkable musician. He was able to overcome the
difficulties of being born into poverty and growing up during a time of racial discrimination.
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Through his passion for music and love for his fellow man, Louis Armstrong revolutionized
American music and inspired many musicians along the way. His musical accomplishments
throughout his life enabled him to ensure the survival of jazz. By overcoming the many
significant obstacles faced throughout his life, through the compassion he demonstrated for his
fellow man, and by becoming one of the most influential figures in American music, Louis
Armstrong can truly be considered a modern day hero.
Louis Armstrong an Extravagant Trumpeter
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Born in the early 1900s, Louis Armstrong battled the problem of poverty along with
most other southern African Americans (“Louis Armstrong”). However, Armstrong didn’t let the
struggles of his childhood affect the outcome of his life. Even though towards the start of his
career, the likelihood of him becoming a musician was slim, he ended up making a very large
impact in jazz. By the end of his life, Louis Armstrong was one of the most well-known
musicians during the 20th century. Modern day heroes don’t need magical powers or incredible
strength, but instead are able to find ways to overcome challenges and have the ability to
significantly change the world around them. Louis Armstrong, a magnificent trumpet player,
represents a modern day hero because he not only overcame poverty and defeated discrimination
during his lifetime but also had profound impact on American music by revolutionizing the jazz
era.
A hero is capable of making the best out of tough situations they have been dealt in
life, no matter how tremendous the obstacle may be. Armstrong had to overcome the difficulties
of his childhood in order to become a great musician. He was born in a very poor neighborhood
in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a mother who was only fifteen years old (Fahlenkomp-Merrell 5).
These tough times affected everyone in the family. His mother had to work as a prostitute in
order to support the family since the father abandoned them when Armstrong was only three
weeks old (Ryan). Due to the difficulties in his family life, Armstrong also had to provide for his
family by making money any way he could. He formed a quartet that sang and played on street
corners, and he also worked at several jobs to provide money for his family (Britannica
Biographies). By overcoming these tough situations, Armstrong was able to achieve success later
in his life.
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A hero also has the courage to follow his heart and not let circumstances dictate their
fate. At the age of 7, Armstrong started working for a Russian Jewish family, the Karnofsky’s, to
help support his own family (Brothers 32). The Karnofsky’s, were very kind to Armstrong,
helping him with his pronunciation and making sure he was well fed before returning home each
night after work. It was through this job that Armstrong saved for his first cornet (Elish 4).
Working for the Karnofsky’s instilled upon young Armstrong the significance of being kind to
everyone regardless of their color or background. He developed a love for all people and an
understanding that life is a gift. Armstrong did have an unfortunate event one New Year’s Eve,
which he was arrested for shooting a gun in the air and ended up in the Colored Waif’s Home, a
reform school. The school had a band which Armstrong joined. He worked his way into
becoming their cornet player and eventually made his way to band leader, which he recognizes
as the beginning of his musical career (“Louis Armstrong”). Armstrong learned from the
experiences and challenges he faced and continued to move forward in life without feelings of
self-pity.
Heroes can use their passion to overcome difficult circumstances in their lives.
Armstrong learned about racism at an early age since segregation was prevalent in the southern
United States around the area where Armstrong grew up (Brothers 16). He was able to eventually
use his talent of music to change segregation and bring blacks and whites together. “‘…I saw
thousands of people, colored and white on the main floor. Not segregated in one row of whites
and another row of Negroes’…His feeling that music issues an antidote to violence appears to
have had its origins in New Orleans.” (Brothers 19). At one time, Armstrong formed a band
made up of black and white musicians that became the most popular band in the country
(Fahlenkamp-Merrel 24). Along with Armstrong’s growing popularity came criticism. During
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the late 1950s with the civil rights movement, blacks accused Armstrong of being subservient to
whites due to him primarily performing to white audiences (Educational Broadcasting
Corporation). Over time the conflict resolved due to Armstrong’s passion for music and his love
for performing. Even though he had misfortunes and faced criticism in his life, Armstrong
continued to be accepting of others and enjoyed life.
Heroes have the ability to inspire others through their actions. During Armstrong’s
career, he was able to touch and influence others through his musical talent. His sense of swing,
harmony, and ability to create melodies filled with energy, shaped the styles of the saxophonists,
Bud Freeman and Coleman Hawkins (Britannica Biographies). For example, in one of his songs,
What a Wonderful World, the meaning of his lyrics expressed his thoughts about life. In the
following excerpt from this song, his zest for life and love of people is readily apparent: “The
colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky; Are also in the faces of people going by; I see
friends shakin' hands, saying ‘How do you do?’; They're really saying ‘I Love you!’” (Collonia).
He also inspired people by how he did not get caught up in his fame and fortune but remembered
who he truly was. “‘Just a plain Louisiana boy’ is how Armstrong views himself, even after all
of his success.” (Sanders). By not letting fame go to his head and remembering his past,
Armstrong was able to look out after the people who were struggling. He was a very humble
man, choosing to quietly give away millions of dollars to those he saw in need (Bergreen 62).
Through his humility and talents, Armstrong had a large impact on his fans and fellow
musicians.
Louis Armstrong was a remarkable musician. He was able to overcome the difficulties of
being born into poverty and growing up during a time of racial discrimination. Through his
passion for music and love for his fellow man, Louis Armstrong revolutionized American music
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and inspired many musicians along the way. His musical accomplishments throughout his life
enabled him to ensure the survival of jazz. By overcoming the many significant obstacles faced
throughout his life, through the compassion he demonstrated for his fellow man, and by
becoming one of the most influential figures in American music, Louis Armstrong can truly be
considered a modern day hero.
Works Cited
Bergreen, Laurence. Introduction. Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life. By Bergreen. N.p.:
Broadway Books, 1997. N. pag. Print. This quote provides insight into how Louis
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Armstrong viewed his life. It shows how he accepted things in his life and he was
grateful
for them. This source will be used as a primary source due to the fact it is a direct quote
from Louis Armstrong. This quote will be used to demonstrate how Louis Armstrong
didn’t
take life for granted and how he accepted the way things turned out.
Britannica Biographies. “Armstorng, Louis.” MasterFILE Premier. EBSCOhost, 1 Dec. 2011.
Web. 8 Feb. 2012. This article provides detailed information about Louis Armstrong’s
career. It mentions how he created a new style of jazz through his ability of adding
energy
to his music. It also discusses where he preformed, provided examples of his more
popular
songs he written, and explained his impact on the jazz era. This source proves its
credibility by being listed on a database and providing unbiased information that inform
the reader about Louis Armstrong’s career. The Information from this article will be used
to show how he transformed the music of jazz and to provide the highlights of his career.
Brothers, Thomas. Introduction. Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans. By Brothers. N.p.: n.p., 2006.
N. pag. Print. This book provides detailed information about the music scene in New
Orleans during the early 20th century and it’s impact on Louis Armstrong during his
formative years. Louis Armstrong is recognized as very influential figure in American
music. This information will be used as a print source and it is reliable because it
provides
accurate information about the life of Louis Armstrong. This source will be useful in my
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paper by providing insight into how the music of New Orleans shaped the style of Louis
Armstrong.
Collonia, Laura, prod. “What a Wonderful World.” The Laughing Song. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar.
2012. This article provides the correct lyrics to one of Louis Armstrong’s songs, What a
Wonderful World. It will be used as a primary source due to the fact that Louis
Armstrong
wrote these lyrics himself during his career. Information from this source is credible
because it was published without any bias and located on a .edu website. These lyrics will
be useful when proving how Louis Armstrong was an inspiring person through the
meaning
of his lyrics and music.
Educational Broadcasting Corporation. “Louis Armstorng.” PBS. N.p., 6 July 2005. Web. 9 Feb.
2012. This article provides information about the life of Louis Armstrong and his career.
It
mentions the difficult times of poverty during his childhood and where his interest in
music
began. It also provides highlights of his career and his overall impact on the American
culture of the 1920s. This source will be used as a credible website because it was created
by the Educational Broadcasting Corporation and provides unbiased, in depth
information
without any grammatical errors. This information will be useful when explaining how he
got interested in music and became a very talented jazz musician.
Elish, Dan. Louis Armstrong and the Jazz Age. New York, New York: The Child’s World, 2005.
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Print. This book provides adequate information and facts about the early life of Louis
Armstrong. It discusses the quality of life when he was born and the details about the
start
of his career. The information from this book demonstrates credibility through it’s
unbiased
information and being published by Scholastic. Information used from this source will be
useful when demonstrating the struggles Armstrong had to overcome during the
beginning
of his life.
Fahlenkamp-Merrell, Kindle. Louis Armstrong Journey to Freedom. Mankato, MN: Scholastic
Inc., 2010. Print. This book provides detailed information about the life of Louis
Armstrong. It discusses how his career got started and some of the difficult events that
happened within his performing years. This print source proves it’s credibility by
providing unbiased information that informs the reader on the life of Louis Armstrong.
Information used from this source will be useful in explaining the difficulties of racism
that
occurred throughout his career.
“Louis Armstrong.” Biography.com. N.p., 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2012. This article provides
information about the early life of Louis Armstrong and his career. It also mentions how
he
became a famous musician and how his style of music influenced many musicians. This
information will be used as a current source because it provides information that has been
updated within the last year. This source will be helpful in explaining how Louis
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Armstrong has encouraged others through the work of his music.
Ryan, James. “Louis Armstrong.” MAS Ultra - School Edition. EBSCO, 2005. Web. 9 Feb.
2012.
This article provides information about the background history of Louis Armstrong, such
as
how he got involved in jazz and detailed information about his career. It provides
information about the highs and lows of his career and some of his more popular songs
that
put him back on top. This source shows its credibility by being listed on a database and
providing unbiased information that informs the reader about the life of Louis Armstrong.
Information from this source will be helpful when explaining how his difficult childhood
didn’t affect his later life as an adult.
Sanders, Charles L. “Louis Armstrong the Reluctant Millionaire.” Ebony 1 Nov. 1964: 135-46.
EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 12 Feb. 2012. This article provides information about the early
life Louis Armstrong. He grew up in a beaten up shack in the worst part of New Orleans
and grew up around that section of the city. This source provides reliable information due
to the fact it is found on a database. This information will be useful by demonstrating
how
his rough early years didn’t have a negative influence on his career and his overall being.