Alton Augustus Adams, Sr. (1889–1987) was the first African American bandmaster in the United States Navy, becoming a midshipman in 1917 when the Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark. Adams was an piccolo and flutist, a pioneering music educator, an influential writer, and a composer. The bands of both John Philip Sousa and Edwin Franko Goldman performed his music and he made a triumphant tour of the Eastern U.S. with his all-African American naval ensemble in 1924.
Two of his musical works have entered the Public Domain and can be shared here. For free access to the full performance parts, email [email protected].
- The Virgin Islands March (1919)—full score (pdf)
- The Governor’s Own (1921)—full score (pdf)