Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues. She rose from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential blues singers of all times. She fought through racism, abuse, attacks, and even a standoff with the KKK. She was tough, and she fought the fight for those who came after her.
As we recognize Black History Month, Bessie Smith's story is the first in my 4-week installment of influential black individuals in music and film from the 20s, 30s, and 40s that helped pave the way for equality in the entertainment industry.
PATREON: https://patreon.com/StarsoftheGoldenAgePodcast
Image Source: IMDB; NRP
Episode Source: Queen of the Blues: The Life and Times of Bessie Smith by Jennifer Warner; a documentary on the 1920s channel on YouTube called Bessie Smith: The Woman Who Sang the Blues; an article from Oxford Magazine titled Everybody Knows You When You’re Down and Out by Amanda Petrusich from December 1, 2013; an article from Rolling Stone by Sarene Leeds from November 15, 2013; an interview with Jack Gee compiled by Robert E. Di Nardo; allaboutbluesmusic.com; geni.com, the BBC; IMDB
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