Justin Holland, guitarist, pianist, flutist, composer, and civil-rights activist was born on July 26, 1819, to Exum Holland, a free Black farmer in Norfolk, Virginia. He had two brothers and five sisters. He demonstrated considerable talent when he was eight by using a small book of verses as a foundation for writing accompaniments.
In 1833, at 14, Holland left after the death of his parents for Chelsea, Massachusetts, as the South was not a comfortable place for free Blacks. In Chelsea, Holland changed his name to William Justin Holland…
