Ernest Hogan

American composer and comedian. Born April 17, 1865 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. Died May 20, 1909 (age of 44) in Lakewood, New Jersey,, USA. He was the first African-American entertainer to produce and star in a Broadway show [i](The Oyster Man[/i] in 1907) and helped to popularize the musical genre of ragtime. Hogan was considered one of the most talented performers and comedians of his day.