Trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is born in Cheraw, South Carolina.
At a Glance
- Date
- 21 October 1917
- Location
- Cheraw, South Carolina
- Key people
- Dizzy Gillespie
- Category
- Music
- Source
- Recordings; biographical records · Britannica
What It Meant Then
He was a co-founder of bebop and a pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz.
What It Means Now
Gillespie became one of the most beloved ambassadors of the music.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Dizzy Gillespie Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/dizzy-gillespie-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Dizzy Gillespie Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/dizzy-gillespie-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Dizzy Gillespie Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/dizzy-gillespie-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.