Nat King Cole was an influential jazz pianist and singer who was born in 1919 in Alabama. He began playing piano at age 4 and dropped out of high school at 15 to pursue a career in music. Though he faced attacks from white supremacists for performing for mixed-race audiences and was criticized by some African Americans for not being more politically active, Cole persevered and became the first African American to host a television show. He starred in films and had a successful music career until his death from lung cancer in 1965 at age 45.

1. Nat King Cole
ISABELLA PALMERI

2. CHILDHOOD
 Born on March 17,1919
 Raised in Montgomery, Alabama
 Started playing the piano at age four
 Dropped out of school at age fifteen to
become a full time jazz pianist
 Joined his brother Eddie in 1936 to write
music which later led to a record
 His music was inspired by Earl Hines
 Emerged as a popular pianist

3. HARDSHIPS
 Cole was attacked during a mixed race
performance by white supremacists
 He was also later criticized by other African
Americans because he didn’t stand up to the
white people who attacked him
 He didn’t want to take part in the civil rights
movement
 He wanted to be an entertainer not an
activist

4. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 First African American to host a tv show
 Hosted The Nat “King” Cole Show featuring
Count Basie, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr.,
and Tony Bennet.
 He appeared in the drama Istanbul and the
war drama China Gate.
 He had a major role in the movie St. Louis
Blues

5. CONCLUSION
 Segregation didn’t stop him
 He ignored all of the racism he received
 He went for his dreams even with the world
against him
 He was inspiring to all people
 He died in 1965 from lung cancer at the age
of 45.

6. PICTURES

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Biography.com
 Wikipedia.com