SamePassage

Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a world of hardship from her earliest days. Her father, Clarence Holiday,...

Joe “King” Oliver was born in Abend, near Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and moved to New Orleans in his youth. Oliver played cornet in the New Orleans...

Ella Fitzgerald, also known as the “First Lady of Song” and “Queen of Jazz,” was a legendary American jazz singer. Born on April 25, 1917,...

A pianist, Count Basie played vaudeville before eventually forming his own big band and helping to define the era of swing with hits like “One...

James P. Johnson, in full James Price Johnson, (born Feb. 1, 1894, New Brunswick, N.J., U.S.—died Nov. 17, 1955, New York, N.Y.), highly influential black...

Pearl Mae Bailey, born on March 29, 1918, in Newport News, Virginia, was a prominent American entertainer known for her captivating singing and playful sense...

Fats Waller was a highly influential figure in the world of jazz music during the early to mid-20th century. Known for his exceptional skills as...

Dizzy Gillespie, born John Birks Gillespie on October 21, 1917, was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and singer. He is widely regarded as one...

A Legacy of Dance and Entertainment Bill “Bojangles” Robinson was a pioneering figure in the world of entertainment, known for his exceptional talent as a...

Lena Horne was a legendary performer and civil rights activist who broke barriers in the entertainment industry. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1917, Horne...