Jazz legend Louis Armstrong


 Jazz legend Louis Armstrong was married several times but never had any legitimate children. There was a rumour that he fathered a daughter, but the child to whom he showed most love was, by all accounts, a relative named Clarence.


His teenage cousin Flora gave birth to a boy in 1915 after being attacked by a white man. At the time Louis was very close to his cousin. He wrote later than when Clarence was born ‘’the baby washed all the gloom out of me. ‘’ Flora never recovered emotionally from her rape and was also very weak physically. She died shortly after and Louis took it upon himself to raise the child. When he married aged 17 he legally adopted Clarence.


Bad luck followed Clarence. While still very young he was playing on the family porch and fell heavily, landing on his head. There was brain damage and he never fully recovered needing special care for the rest of his life.

The marriage of Louis was short and he married again. His second wife, Lil, was not happy having Clarence around, a situation which caused friction in the marriage. A third, and fourth marriage followed.

Clarence as an adult was set up with a home in the Bronx. Louise even set up a marriage for him.

Louis died in 1971 aged 69. Clarence died in 1998 aged 83.

Much to the pleasure of Louis young Clarence had always been referred to as ‘’Little Louis Armstrong... Continue reading 

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