James J. Vaughan
African-American Composer
About James J. Vaughan
James J. Vaughan, also known as James Vaughn (1870–1935), was an American composer, musical director, and bandleader. He wrote music for several musicals. He was among the first African-American musicians to play at Carnegie Hall in 1912. He and James Reese Europe organized the Clef Club, a union for African-American musicians. It was integrated with the American Federation of Musicians in 1914. He conducted the orchestra and performed piano accompaniment on tour in In Dahomey, for which he was also credited with musical direction and recognized in The Black Manhattan Trilogy – Three Volume Set.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was James J. Vaughan?
African-American Composer
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: James J. Vaughan
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James J. Vaughan. https://biography.guide/james-j-vaughan/
MLA: "James J. Vaughan." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-j-vaughan/.
Chicago: "James J. Vaughan." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-j-vaughan/.
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