Louis Armstrong was born in 1901 in one of the poorest sections of New Orleans, known as "The Battlefield", because of the frequent gang fights. His famous nickname was "Satchmo" short for "satchel mouth", for his big lips. Louis Armstrong's exact birthday date has been two different days, July 4th and August 4th. His actual birth date was discovered in the 1980's when an Armstrong expert discovered the church where Louis was baptized. On the baptismal certificate it said August 4th. Louis celebrated it on the 4th of July because that's what his grandmother had told him. .
Louis's childhood wasn't the best growing up. His father left his mother shortly after he was born and he was sent to live with his grandmother for 5 years. Eventually, he was sent back to his mother and sister, Bernice. When he turned seven he began working and bought his first coronet. When he was eleven, juvenile court sent him to Jones Home for Colored Waifs for firing a pistol on New Year's Eve.
While Louis was at the school he had his first formal musical lessons and played in the home's brass band. After he was released, he began playing with pick up bands and in small clubs with his mentor Joe "King" Oliver. "King" admired Louis talent but packed up and moved to Chicago to play his coronet.
