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I imagined John Blanke as a majestic musician, a professional who knew his worth, and a proud Black man bearing his heritage in his sound and in his soul.
Who was John Blanke? There are records that seem to pin him into position: a man on a horse playing a trumpet at the Westminster Tournament; a petition to King Henry VIII for a wage increase; an inventory of wedding clothes gifted by the King. Yet he remains a puzzle, a conundrum, a perennial question mark. Who is he to us today? Records are still emerging that may tell us more - and different - stories about this man. Intriguing new discoveries in the archive spark exciting new questions. Perhaps, more than anything, John Blanke teaches us that history is alive, breathing, ever-changing; that the past is still full of possibilities. |
| The John Blanke Project | 463 Joanna Brown |