We’re just wild about Eubie Blake! The pianist and composer was born #OTD, February 7, 1887 in Baltimore to parents who had been formerly enslaved. Gifted at a young age, Blake reportedly composed his first piece “Charleston Rag” in 1899. In 1921 he and fellow composer Noble Sissle wrote the music and lyrics to Shuffle Along, an all-black musical revue. Highly successful, the musical ran for 504 shows and more importantly, contributed to the desegregation of Broadway theatres. Blake and Sissle reunited during World War II to write music for the United Service Organizations. In 1969, an album, "The 86 Years of Eubie Blake" revived interest in Blake’s music, and he toured extensively throughout the USA and Europe. In 1981, Eubie Blake received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Ronald Reagan. He died on February 12, 1983 at age 96. Image: Eubie Blake, unidentified photographer, 1972. Maryland Center for History and Culture, H. Furlong Baldwin Library, Eubie Blake Photog...