m:--

"What induced me more than any thing else to appear in
public was to give the lie to 'negro serenaders'
(minstrels), and to show to the world that colored men and
women could sing classical music as well as the members of
the other race by whom they had been so terribly vilified."

Nor would he ever yield to that mean and vulgar prejudice, once so
prevalent, but now happily disappearing, which either sought to
prevent colored persons from entering at all the public-amusement
hall, or else to force them to occupy seats near the entrance, or away
up in the gallery. All must be treated alike, or he would not sing. As
illustrating this characteristic, I give the following incident
connected with the concert tour in Canada:--

In Hamilton, a Dr. Brown purchased for himself and some friends six
reserved-seat tickets, at a cost of one dollar each. After he had done
so, Mr. Bowers's agent was informed by the proprietor of the hall in
which the concert was to be held that "colored people were not
admitted to first-class seats in Canada." This created much
excitement. Our artist espoused Dr. Brown's cause; informed Col. Wood
that he would not sing, if he refused to admit the doctor's party on
the terms implied by his tickets; that if, after entering, there
should be any attempt to oust them, he would assist them; and that he
did not leave his home to encourage such mean prejudice. This noble
stand against unjust discrimination resulted in granting to Dr. Brown
the seats for which he had purchased tickets; and, after this time, no
attempt was made to exclude colored persons from the concerts of the
troupe.

Mr. Bowers, during his career, has sung in most of the Eastern and
Middle States; and at one time he even invaded the slavery-cursed
regions of Maryland. He sang in Baltimore, the papers of which city
were forced to accord to him high merit as a vocalist.

When we consider the high ideal cherished from the very commencement
of his career by our subject, it is not surprising that his musical
performances have never been marred by the singing of other than
classical or the best music. He does sing, at times, songs in the
ballad form; but these are always of the higher class, and such as
would be adopted by any first-class singer. His _repertoire_ is
composed of most all the songs for the tenor voice in the standard
operas and oratorios. He sings with fine effect such gems as "Spirito
Gentil,"