On May 17, 1864, Rachel Boone, once enslaved by descendants of frontiersman Daniel Boone, escaped to a Union Army camp near Miami, Missouri. There, she gave birth to a son, John William “Blind” Boone. Despite losing his sight due to illness in infancy, Boone became a renowned classical and ragtime pianist. Touring across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and reportedly Europe, he mesmerized audiences with his virtuosity. Boone rose to fame as one of the most celebrated Black musicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries, bridging classical traditions with emerging American musical forms.
© 2025 KnowThyHistory.com. Know Thy History
