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Graham, Alberta Powell

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1875-1955

Biography

Alberta Powell Graham was born in Harrington, Delaware, but moved to Ottumwa, Iowa, with her family when she was just a child. A musician and composer of note, she is a graduate of the American Conservatory in Chicago. She has also had special training along many lines including public school music, poetry, education, and literature. She studied at Columbia University, Northwestern University, Cornell University, and with private teachers. She was Supervisor of Music in the public schools of Iowa, and she has had more than two hundred songs for children published.

Alberta Graham made her home in Washington, D.C., since 1939, where she engaged in writing and in historical research in the Library of Congress. She regularly contributed stories, poems, articles, plays, as well as songs to numerous magazines. She also served as president of the Washington Children's Book Guild. Many honors came to her in connection with her work in the fields of music education and historical writing. She died in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 1955.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Alberta Powell Graham Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MsC0615
Abstract

A writer of biographies for children (on Columbus, Clara Barton, Lafayette and LaSalle, among others), Mrs. Graham also published more than 300 songs and Strike Up the Band! (1949), a collection of short biographies of American band musicians. Both her books and songs are represented in her papers.

Dates: 1945-1955