The 4 Black Diamonds

Decked out in their lederhosen the 4 Black Diamonds knew how to enjoy their German success as this 1911 New Years postcard demonstrates.

The 4 Black Diamonds were H.M. Johnson, Walter Dixon, Norris Smith, and Eugene Abbott. Originally from San Francisco, they started their European career in 1905 and possibly never returned to the States. The 4 Black Diamonds toured extensively throughout Europe after they arrived there in late 1905. They had engagements between Cologne and Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia). Such concerts and events by black artists throughout Europe were widely reported on. The articles made it to the US, where they were reprinted in black newspapers and magazines. This led to more and more African-American musicians taking the long journey across the ocean.

Source: The Atlantic Times