Joseph Henry Douglass was born July 3, 1871 in Anacostia, a Southeast Washington D.C. neighborhood. He was one of six children born to Charles Remond Douglass and Mary Elizabeth Murphy. Additionally, he was the grandson of Frederick Douglass.

His grandfather and father both played the violin. This inspired Joseph to do the same at a young age. He was classically trained at the New England Conservatory and the Boston Conservatory. At the age of twenty-two he played at the Chicago World Fair. He was well received, and became one of the first African-American concert violinists to be nationally and internationally renowned. He toured for three decades often accompanied by his wife Fannie Howard Douglass, a pianist.

Between touring he was a conductor at Howard University, many other Black institutions, churches, and made regular appearances at the White House, playing for Presidents William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, and William Taft.

Joseph Douglass passed away December 7, 1935 from pneumonia.

A native of Phoenix, Arizona Aundrea Sayrie is a firm believer in the power of words, faith and a strong spirit. Her greatest desire is to encourage those around her to discover and honor their truth, and to passionately live on purpose.