Art: A Tenor

A young black man reared on a Georgia farm returns to America from Europe. He returns with at least some portion of fame. For several years Roland Hayes has been singing recitals in England and on the Continent. His success has been astonishing, with public acclamations and ecstasies of praise from the critics. As a pinnacle to these honors he sang by Royal command before

King George at Buckingham Palace. Now he returns to the U. S. to test his native country. Roland Hayes began his life with the hard labor of the small farm-holding Negroes of the South. His parents owned a small piece of cotton land. The boy and his brother ploughed, chopped cotton, picked cotton. In time he contrived to work his way through Fiske University at Nashville. He had a pleasant tenor voice. He undertook vocal studies. He made a little reputation and began his professional career with a recital at Symphony Hall, Boston, in 1918. But the U. S. is not partial to artists who are black of skin. Hayes went to Europe to continue his career and Europe gave him ovations. Criticisms of his singing speak enthusiastically of his moving interpretation of the negro spirituels.