Why I Wrote the Book: The Robust Life & Music of Noble Sissle, Sr.

Biography of a Broadway Show Co-Producer, Lyricist, Tenor Soloist, Harlem Hellfighter, Veteran, International Jazz Conductor and Entrepreneur

During the pandemic in mid-April 2021, I started researching Noble Sissle, Sr.  There were a few pages about Sissle in my first book, Indiana Avenue – Life and Musical Journey from 1915 to 2015. At live book presentations, audience members asked the most questions about him and marveled at his success as a young Black man in the early 1900s. My mentor, Dan Wakefield encouraged me to share the story of one of our native sons and prolific entertainer.

“Noble Sissle is one of the most important neglected figures in modern day American history.”

– Dan Wakefield, Author

Aleta Hodge presenting Indiana Avenue Jazz at the Center for Performing Arts in Carmel, IN, March 2023.

Research in Library Archives

I went to the Indiana Historical Society archives and found the book, Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake and a few articles. There were not any statues or name recognition of Sissle in any public buildings. Still today, most residents of Indianapolis are unfamiliar with his name and accomplishments. Mostly older jazz fans recognize his legendary accomplishments. I wanted to continue visiting archives on the East coast, but most were closed due to the pandemic.

Finally in November 2022, the archives opened, and I was able to visit the Library of Congress, World War I Centennial in Washington, DC. Later in December, I visited the Schomburg Research Center in Harlem. It was a fascinating and fun experience to view the soundies, silent films, and Sissle’s unpublished manuscript, Memoirs of Jim Europe. It was expected for visitors to remain quiet in the archives. Instead, I laughed aloud at the soundies and videos of performances with Sissle, Eubie Blake, dancers, and singers. It was a joy to witness their engaging and interactive concerts. I completed further research in the digital libraries of the Library of Congress and the Howard University Moorland Spingam Research Center.

My Personal Journey to Complete The Robust Life & Music of Noble Sissle, Sr.

During the pandemic, I worked a full-time remote job, and it was difficult to remain positive with so many traumatic worldwide experiences and living in isolation. To overcome the negativity, I started researching the life and music of Noble Sissle, Sr.  His charismatic personality and music filled with syncopated beats brightened my days.

Many fans knew of his co-production of the first all-Black Broadway show, Shuffle Along, but did not know of his life before and after the Broadway hit. On the East coast, he was referred to as a “Midwesterner” with no city name attached. My goal was to champion his accomplishments in his hometown of Indianapolis and the world. Later, I experienced some health problems and had to reduce my workload. I reached out to agents and publishers to no avail. My friends and family encouraged me to continue this important story.

Thanks to gracious donors, my Go Fund Me fundraiser was successfully completed to fund the publication expenses. Most of my out-of-state travel was funded through airline reward miles. I am so thankful to my village of family, friends, editor, graphic designer, consultants, Sissle family members, research archives (Indiana Historical Society, Library of Congress, World War I Centennial Commission, Doughboy Foundation, Schomburg Research Center, Moorland and Spingam Research Center) for their invaluable resources to this project.

Sharon Langholz, President of Indiana Council of Women & Aleta Hodge at The Propylaeum, March 2024.

What I learned about World War I while writing the book

Untold Story of 191-Day Tour of France by 369^th Regimental Band

The Jim Reese Europe Memoir provided insights into the “untold story” of the Harlem Hellfighters 369^th Regimental Band’s 191-day tour of duty in France. It unfolded a treasure trove of American music (Blues, spirituals, and jazz). Upon arrival in France, the 369^th Regimental Band played the Marseillaise, the French national anthem to an audience of French soldiers and civilians. At first, they did not recognize the jazz improvised song, within a few minutes, a French soldier shouted, “That’s the Marseillaise!” One of Sergeant Sissle, Lieutenant Europe, and the 369^th Regimental Band’s greatest impact was the introduction of American jazz to France. What would France be without its fond love for jazz music?

“But if you could see the effect our good old jazz melodies have on people of every race and creed, you would see that syncopation rules the world.”

– Noble Sissle

James Reese Europe at the head of the 369th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hellfighters) band in Paris.

Harlem Hellfighters Accomplishments:

It was amazing to learn about the 369^th Regimental Band’s tour of thousands of miles in France (See map on page 61 of the book), and the attainment of the following honors:

• Most decorated Regiment of WWI
• First Allied force to reach the Rhine River and the first to be removed from the front.
• Awarded the Croix de Guerre, the French government’s highest military honor.

“The Regimental band traveled thousands of miles and witnessed the vineyards and white clay of the Champagne sector, banks of the Rhine, mountains of Alsace Lorraine, Argonne Forest, and Paris (City of Lights).”  

– Noble Sissle

Nine men from the 369th Infantry, Harlem Hellfighters, posing for an iconic photo on their return home from World War One.

Lessons Learned about WWI and America

1. The first war the Regiments (369, 370, 371, and 372) faced was the fight against racism.
2. The lack of military training prior to being shipped to France.
3. Continued stereotypes and discrimination by American Command in France.
4. Transfer of Regiments (369, 370, 371, and 372) to French Command.
5. Courageous stories of Privates Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts against the Germans.
6. Red Summer (1919) in America.
7. Gratitude of the French citizens.
8. French love for jazz music continues today.
9. The profound impact of uplifting American music to build morale and spirits of Allied forces during WWI.
10. The important role of American Black women at YMCA facilities in France.
11. Majority of Americans are ignorant about the global impact of WWI.
12. Many stories from families of the Veterans in Regiments (369, 370, 371, and 372).
13. Vintage photos from France and America in the 1900s.
14. My need to explore the 191-day 369^th Regimental Band route in France.

Aleta Hodge and Nelson Price, Host of Hoosier History on WICR on February 25, 2025.

Why should people care about WWI today?

Today, America is in one of the worst “hate filled” situations with racism and discrimination on the rise. In 2024, the highest level of anti-Jewish tropes endorsed by Americans with 20% in 2020 and increased to 24% in 2024. One trend was “Millennials agree with the greatest number of anti-Jewish tropes on average, at 5.4. They are followed by Gen Z at 5, Gen X at 4.2, and Baby Boomers at 3.1.  (Source: Anti-Defamation League).

A 2025 Super Bowl commercial created by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism with Snoop Dog and Tom Brady shared the stupidity of hate. Most Americans prefer peace and want to proactively prevent war.

In the past few months, the political climate of the world has changed significantly with:

• Escalation of fighting in Ukraine by its aggressor, Russia. A similar war as Germany versus France in WWI.
• High inflation and tariffs which lead to greater economic instability and country hate.

We should be focused on the above lessons learned from WWI, not hate and imperialism.

• The need for more conflict resolution in everyone’s daily life with the high rate of violence in America.
• The world needs to practice improved communication skills and to listen to uplifting music.

Private Henry Johnson’s Valor Post at the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial in Indianapolis, IN on Sep. 3, 2024.

Book Readers Want to Share Their Veteran Stories

Many book readers have shared their stories of Veteran relatives with me, and they want these stories told to young adults and adult readers. One of Langston Hughes’ poems, The Dream Keeper shares the importance of dreams and the role of the Dream Keeper:

Bring me all of your dreams.

You dreamers, bring me all of your heart Melodie’

That I may wrap them in a blue-cloud cloth

Away from the too-rough fingers of the world.

I believe that as an author, historian, and playwright; I am a “Dream Keeper” of stories of underrepresented Veterans and women and it is critical to share their stories.

Aleta Hodge at Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial in Indianapolis, IN on Sept. 3, 2024.

Aleta Hodge was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the shadow of the Indiana Avenue jazz corridor that spawned the careers of Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery and Slide Hampton, among many others. At Shortridge High School, she followed in the footsteps of noted writers Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Dan Wakefield, and Harry Radliffe as a correspondent for the Daily Echo, at that time the only daily high school publication in the U.S. She continued her path toward becoming a writer at Stanford University, authoring essays and papers. Listening to her aunt’s jazz record collection at the age of four, Aleta sang along to Ella Fitzgerald and Harry Belafonte, and has since combined her passion for writing and jazz in creating a book series on the life and music of Noble Sissle Sr., and on the historic Indiana Avenue Jazz scene in Indianapolis. Aleta was a playwright for the 2023 production of The Perfect Storm, presented at the Indianapolis’ District Theatre. At Stanford University, Aleta participated in the Stanford-Kyoto University student exchange program activities and enjoyed Nigerian culture courses. After her first book in the series, Indiana Avenue – Life and Musical Journey from 1915 to 2015, Aleta presented live shows, Indiana Avenue Jazz. Attendees of all ages enjoyed the program and shared their curiosity about one musician in the book, Noble Sissle, Sr., a native son of Indy. They asked, “How did a Black man achieve great fame in the early 1900s?” “How did he overcome racism, discrimination, and racial injustice?” Enjoy Noble Sissle, Sr.’s musical journey!

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