Henry Anderson (street vendor)

Henry Anderson (born 1800) was a Philadelphia-area street vendor known as The Hominy Man, who became a local legend, beginning in about 1828, for his cries, which he used to hawk his wares.^[1] His were said to be the "most musical of all cries", and he was noted for his "strong resonant 'tenor robusto'".^[2]

Two examples of his cries:

Hominy man come out today

For to sell his hominay^[3]

De hominy man is on his way

From de navy yard

With his harmony^[4]

Notes

• Hester, Karlton E. (2004). Bigotry and the Afrocentric Jazz Evolution. Global Academic Publishing. ISBN 1-58684-228-5.
• Southern, Eileen (1997). Music of Black Americans. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. ISBN 0-393-03843-2.

References

1. Hester, pg. 48
2. Southern, pgs. 124-125
3. Southern, pg. 125 cites Scharf, John Thomas (1884). History of Philadelphia. 2. Philadelphia. p. 930.
4. Southern, pg. 125 cites Oberholtzer. Philadelphia. 2. p. 95.