At twenty years old, Simone had never sang and performed in public, but after her debut, she became an instant success. By 1954, she had accepted a job playing piano at the Midtown Bar and Grill in Atlantic City, N.J., where the owner expected her to play and sing. In her teenage years, Simone went on to study classical music at the Juilliard School in New York with the help of some of her supporters in her home town. (Her music recorded during the Civil Rights Movement would be a large extension of this.) This incident was a pivotal moment in Simone’s life, and her profound passion to advocate for Black rights in America ensued. Confused and enraged, Simone repeatedly refused to play until her parents were moved back to their original seats in the front row.
During this performance, Simone had her first profound encounter with racial discrimination when her parents were forced from the front rows of the recital hall to the back, in order to make room for white patrons. Demonstrating her inherent talent, Simone began performing at her local church, and made her first classical recital performance debut at the mere age of 12. At around the age of three, Simone began to play piano, and it soon became her dream to become a concert pianist. 21, 1933, to a family of 10 in Tyron, N.C. Click here to find out more.Įunice Kathleen Waymon, known professionally as Nina Simone, was born on Feb. This biographical article is part of JAZZ.FM91’s supplementary research component to expand on The Journey to Jazz and Human Rights documentary podcast series.