Uncrowned Community Builders

On April 25, 1894, Clara Oliver Jacobs was the first of 11 children to be born to Anna Painter Oliver and John E. Oliver in Ilion, New York. Her fierce commitment to faith was instilled in her by her father whose greatest desire had been to be an Episcopal priest. Her passion for music was inspired by her first lesson from her mother on the family organ on which she loved to accompany her mother's sweet soprano and her father's booming bass voice. Her life's story is a tribute to her pursuit of dreams, excellence without excuse and the adventure of challenge.

Because no high schools in her town offered college preparatory courses, she took the street car to the town of Mohawk where she studied Latin and German and graduated, the only black student, as the class valedictorian.

Encouraged by her principal, who recognized her gifts, Clara was accepted in 1912 to Howard University in Washington, D.C. She was awarded a partial scholarship, which she supplemented during the school year by playing the musical background, much of which she composed, for the silent movies. Each summer, she wrote skits, which the family performed in the towns and villages around Ilion to help raise the funds needed for the following school term. During these years, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was established at Howard and Clara became a charter member. In 1916, she graduated from Howard University and was voted The Most Brilliant of her Class. Shortly thereafter, she eloped with Earl Henry Cavitt with whom she raised five children: Earl, Arthur, Clara, Anna, and Edward.

While living in Buffalo, she played for her church, performed in recitals as the featured pianist, accompanied her sister, Georgiana Oliver Woodard, a talented soprano in concert and gave piano lessons. Although classical music was always her first love, she also played popular music with bands and orchestras around Western New York as the first female charter member of the Colored Musicians' Association. She became known as the Lady of 1,000 songs!

In 1928, on her way to the Annual Musicians' Association Easter Ball, she was struck by one of two cars which had spun out of control and was critically injured. She used the settlement from the accident to finance a dream - The Studio Shoppe, a music store where she surrounded herself with sheet music, victrolas, records and pianos. Characteristically, she had challenged adversity and won! However, having lost the business to the Depression, a few years later she formed a trio which came to the attention of Major Bowes, a popular talent scout during the 1930's. The trio traveled to New York City - another dream - and won the initial competition, but abruptly, she was called back to Buffalo. While for some, it may have seemed like a dream destroyed, for Clara, it was simply a dream deferred.

Upon her return to Buffalo, she continued to play and give piano lessons until she began to work for the Department of Social Services. Subsequently, she worked for the Board of Education in her beloved New York City. Having been widowed, she married John Jacobs.

In 1962, she moved to Queens with her daughter Anna Cavitt Frida, and her family where she continued to give piano lessons. She became a member of St. Alban the Martyr where she devoted many years of dedicated service.
Clara leaves a legacy of achievement and is survived and remembered lovingly by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.