Category : Performance

Blind Lemon Jefferson was born in Coutchman, Texas, to a humble family. Losing his sight during infancy, Jefferson developed an exceptional sense of hearing and...

A Legacy of Blues and Resilience Ida Cox, one of the most distinguished classic blues singers of the 1920s, left an indelible mark on the...

Jelly Roll Morton (born Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, also spelled LaMenthe or Lemott; c. September 20, 1890 – July 10, 1941) was a pioneering American pianist,...

Fletcher Henderson, in full Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Jr., original name James Fletcher Henderson, byname Smack, (born Dec. 18, 1897, Cuthbert, Ga., U.S.—died Dec. 29, 1952,...

Amos ‘n’ Andy is a landmark in American entertainment history, known for its transition from a popular radio show to a television series. Created by...

Mahalia Jackson was an American gospel singer widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century. Born on October 26, 1911, in...

Nina Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933, was an iconic American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her extraordinary talent and...

American singer Rosetta Tharpe is credited with popularizing gospel music among secular audiences during the 1930s and ’40s. Born in Arkansas in 1915, Sister Rosetta...

Victoria Spivey was one of the more influential blues women simply because she was around long enough to influence legions of younger women and men...

African American audiences were generally ignored by the major motion picture studios in the first two decades of the 20th Century. Nonetheless, demand for films...