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Margaret Bonds

Margaret Allison Bonds (March 3, 1913 – April 26, 1972) was an American composer, pianist, arranger, and teacher. One of the first Black composers and performers to gain recognition in the United States, she is best remembered today for her popular arrangements of African-American spirituals and frequent collaborations with Langston Hughes. She was the first African American woman to perform with the all-White and all-male Chicago Symphony Orchestra, one of the first African American women to have her music broadcast on European radio, the first African American woman to have her music performed widely in Africa, only the second African American woman in classical music to be elected to full membership in ASCAP, and the first woman Black or white to win three awards from ASCAP.

Birth and Death Data: Born Chicago (city and county seat of Cook County, and largest city in State of Illinois, United States of America), Died April 26, 1972 (Los Angeles (seat of Los Angeles County, and largest city in California, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1939 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-044031 10-in. 10/20/1939 Peach Tree Street Sterling Bose ; Delta Rhythm Band ; Bob Zurke Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Victor BS-060916 10-in. 2/20/1941 Spring will be so sad (When she comes this year) Ray Eberle ; Glenn Miller Orchestra ; Modernaires Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo and male vocal quartet songwriter  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Bonds, Margaret," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108641.

Bonds, Margaret. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108641.

"Bonds, Margaret." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/108641

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