# Josephine Fields Sanders

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American teacher and musician

Josephine F. Sanders Born (1895-01-01)January 1, 1895 Dallas, Texas Died March 18, 1975(1975-03-18) (aged 80) Alma mater Georgetown University Known for Establishment of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Spouse James O'Hear Sanders

**Josephine Fields Sanders** (January 1, 1895 – March 18, 1975) was an American [teacher](/source/Teacher) and [musician](/source/Musician). Sanders played a key role in the formation of the [Atlanta Symphony Orchestra](/source/Atlanta_Symphony_Orchestra) in the mid-1940s.

Sanders was born on January 1, 1895 in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas%2C_Texas). She graduated from [Georgetown University](/source/Georgetown_University), followed by graduate studies in violin and French at the [University of Chicago](/source/University_of_Chicago) and the [Royal Conservatory of Brussels](/source/Royal_Conservatory_of_Brussels). Sanders then taught at [Baylor University](/source/Baylor_University).[1]

After [World War I](/source/World_War_I) started, Sanders traveled to Europe to entertain American troops. She married James O'Hear Sanders after returning to the United States, who would later become the lead plaintiff in *[Gray v. Sanders](/source/Gray_v._Sanders)* (1963), a Supreme Court case which resulted in Georgia's [county unit system](/source/County_unit_system) being struck down as unconstitutional.[1]

The Sanders family moved to Atlanta in the early 1940s. By 1943, Sanders had become president of the Atlanta Music Club. Sanders was unhappy that Atlanta was the largest city in the country without a professional orchestra, so she claimed that "Atlanta will grow an orchestra, not buy one". Starting with the In and About Atlanta Orchestra, Sanders raised funds to add professional musicians to the group, which soon became the Atlanta Youth Symphony Orchestra (AYSO).[2][3]

The AYSO held a concert at the [Atlanta Municipal Auditorium](/source/Municipal_Auditorium_(Atlanta)) on February 4, 1945, conducted by [Henry Sopkin](/source/Henry_Sopkin). The sold-out performance led to the AYSO soon changing its name once again to become the [Atlanta Symphony Orchestra](/source/Atlanta_Symphony_Orchestra).[4][5][6]

She was also a supporter of the [High Museum of Art](/source/High_Museum_of_Art).[1]

Sanders died on March 18, 1975.[1] She was added to the [Georgia Women of Achievement](/source/Georgia_Women_of_Achievement) in 2022.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-gwa-sanders_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-gwa-sanders_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-gwa-sanders_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-gwa-sanders_1-3) ["Josephine Fields Sanders"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230703134143/https://www.georgiawomen.org/sanders-josephine-fields). *Georgia Women of Achievement*. 2022. Archived from [the original](https://www.georgiawomen.org/sanders-josephine-fields) on 2023-07-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-aso-paulk_2-0)** Paulk, James L. ["Looking Back on the Dawn of a Great Orchestra"](https://www.aso.org/support-volunteers/ways-to-support/planned-giving/planned-gifts-matter/verdery-cunningham). *Atlanta Symphony Orchestra*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-forth-45_3-0)** Forth, Sally (September 5, 1945). "Youth Symphony Jr. Guild Is Latest Musical Project". *The Atlanta Constitution*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-aso-timeline_4-0)** ["Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Timeline"](https://www.aso.org/about-the-aso/mission-history/aso-historical-timeline). Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-dlc-int-72_5-0)** ["WSB-TV newsfilm clip of Atlanta Symphony Orchestra founder Josephine Sanders speaking about a committee to raise funds and persuade Robert Shaw to stay in Atlanta, February 23, 1972"](https://dlg.usg.edu/record/ugabma_wsbn_wsbn65683). *Digital Library of Georgia*. Retrieved 2 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-wenk-08_6-0)** Wenk, Amy (July 25, 2008). ["Since 1894, Atlanta women's club focuses on intellectual pursuits"](https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2008/07/25/1894-atlanta-womens-club-focuses-intellectual-pursuits/). Rough Draft Atlanta.

v t e Georgia Women of Achievement 1990s 1992 Martha Berry Lucy Craft Laney Juliette Gordon Low Flannery O'Connor 1993 Dicksie Bradley Bandy Mary Musgrove Cassandra Pickett Durham Viola Ross Napier Ma Rainey 1994 Julia Flisch Carson McCullers Margaret Mitchell Ruth Hartley Mosley Emily Harvie Thomas Tubman 1995 Selena Sloan Butler Anna Colquitt Hunter Hazel Jane Raines 1996 Susan Cobb Milton Atkinson Nellie Peters Black Ellen Craft Corra Harris Lugenia Burns Hope 1997 Rebecca Latimer Felton Mary Ann Harris Gay Nancy Hart Lucy Barrow McIntire 1998 Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Julia Collier Harris Rhoda Kaufman Carrie Steele Logan 1999 Moina Michael Lillian Smith 2000s 2000 Sallie Ellis Davis Laura Askew Haygood Ellen Axson Wilson 2001 Julia L. Coleman Catherine Evans Whitener 2002 Wessie Gertrude Connell Lula Dobbs McEachern Alice Harrell Strickland 2003 Madeleine Kiker Anthony Helena Maud Brown Cobb Julia Lester Dillon Leila Ross Wilburn 2004 Mathilda Beasley Louise Frederick Hays Helen Dortch Longstreet Sarah McLendon Murphy Emily Barnelia Woodward 2005 Alice Woodby McKane Nina Anderson Pape Jeannette Rankin 2006 Eliza Frances Andrews Grace Towns Hamilton Sarah Porter Hillhouse 2007 Margaret O. Bynum Edith Lenora Foster Helen Douglas Mankin Sara Branham Matthews 2008 Elfrida De Renne Barrow Amilee Chastain Graves Susan Dowdell Myrick 2009 Caroline Pafford Miller Jane Hurt Yarn Harriet Powers 2010s 2010 Mary Ann Lipscomb Celestine Sibley Madrid Williams 2011 Lillian Gordy Carter Mary Francis Hill Coley May duBignon Stiles Howard 2012 Sarah Randolph Bailey Beulah Rucker Oliver Ethel Harpst 2013 Lollie Belle Wylie Mary Gregory Jewett Henrietta Stanley Dull 2014 Rebecca Stiles Taylor Ella Gertrude Clanton Thomas Bazoline Estelle Usher 2015 Allie Carroll Hart Frances Freeborn Pauley Nell Kendall Hodgson Woodruff 2016 Sarah Harper Heard Ellamae Ellis League Katie Hall Underwood 2017 Carolyn Mackenzie Carter Clermont Huger Lee Lucile Nix 2018 Ludie Clay Andrews Susie Baker King Taylor Mamie George S. Williams 2019 Leila Denmark Mary Dorothy Lyndon 2020s 2020 Clarice Cross Bagwell Katharine DuPre Lumpkin Juanita Marsh Jean Elizabeth Geiger Wright 2021 Ruby M. Anderson Mary G. Bryan Laura Pope Forester Allie Murray Smith 2022 Lizzie Lurline Collier Josephine Fields Sanders Hedy West Josephine Wilkins 2023 Phyllis Jenkins Barrow Alice Coachman Luck Flanders Gambrell Dorothy Rogers Tilly 2024 Beatrice Hirsch Haas Adella Hunt Logan Valerie Murphey Elizabeth "Bessie" Tift 2025 Jessye Norman Alma Thomas

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