Draft:George St. Pierre Brooks
George St. Pierre Brooks (c. 1844 – May 6, 1948), also known as George Semperius Brooks,[1] was an American-born storyteller, and a local personality in Winnipeg, Canada.[2] He had lived a full life, and some of the details of his life have been debated. Brooks was Black and born enslaved, he also had worked as in the military in both the United States and Canada, as a minstrel performer, and as a singer.[3]
Biography
[edit]George St. Pierre Brooks was born enslaved c. 1844 in Kentucky.[1][2][4] When he was a teen, he was forced serve with the Confederacy during the American Civil War, until he was captured.[5] He switched sides, and fought for the Union Army.[5]
He performed with P. T. Barnum prior to Barnum's circus. He sang with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, an African-American a cappella ensemble, and together they toured internationally.[5][6][7]
Brooks worked with the 10th U.S. Cavalry as a cook for five years.[1] During the Spanish–American War, Brooks served for six months in the 370th Infantry Regiment (A Company, 8th Illinois Battalion).[1]
Brooks emigrated to Canada in 1900.[5] On his Canadian military records he used the name "George Semperius Brooks" and his date of birth was listed as 1876, in Havana, Cuba.[1][8] He served in World War I for Great Britain in Canada, and was ranked a private in the Army.[1]
He died on May 6, 1948, at Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg,[4][9] and is buried at Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg.[1]
He had syphilis and was hospitalized. He was photographed.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g "Private George Semperius Brooks". Canadian Great War Project. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b "BCV George Brooks 103 Years old Leader Post Regina Sask 20 Feb 1947". The Leader-Post. 1947-02-20. p. 18. Retrieved 2024-12-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Flogged As Slave, Is Buried Today". The Daily Gleaner. 1948-05-08. p. 3. Retrieved 2024-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "Black History Month: Photo series and vignettes". UM Today News. University of Manitoba. 2019-01-07. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ a b c d Johnson, Pamela K. (March 31, 2015). "Portraits of Black Soldiers Show Forgotten Faces of Civil War". NBC News. Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-12-26.
- ^ "Born a Slave, Winnipeg Negro Became Celebrity". Star-Phoenix. 1936-04-20. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Winnipeg Negro, Born in Slavery, Achieved Fame and Thrilling Life". Calgary Herald. April 4, 1936. p. 30. Retrieved 2024-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "George Semperius Brooks". Recipro.
- ^ "Brooks, George St. Pierre". The Winnipeg Tribune. 1948-05-07. p. 23. Retrieved 2024-12-27 – via Newspapers.com.