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391:, was a dancer and comedian, having learned his trade in the world of circuses and travelling medicine shows in the early years of the century. He subordinated his career to hers, acting as her manager, promoter, minder and companion. After her death, he continued performing, travelling around the world, including appearances in China and Australia, until the late 1930s. He later married
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Many in the black press admired her popularity and saw her as a role model: not only was she a great entertainer but she was also able to serve as "an ambassador of good will from the blacks to the whites... a living example of the potentialities of the Negro of ability when given a chance to make
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act, calling themselves the Mills
Sisters. The act did well, appearing in theaters along the Atlantic seaboard. Florence's sisters eventually quit performing, but Florence stayed with it, determined to pursue a career in show business. She joined
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Mills is credited with having been a staunch and outspoken supporter of equal rights for
African Americans, with her signature song "I'm a Little Blackbird" being a plea for racial equality. During her life she broke many racial barriers.
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214:, a white promoter, hired Mills and Thompson to appear nightly at the Plantation Club. The revue featured Mills and a wide range of Black artists, including visiting performers such as
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reported that more than 10,000 people visited the funeral home to pay their respects; thousands attended her funeral, including James Weldon
Johnson, president of the
483:. The 740-seat theater was commissioned by Sam Kramer. On opening night almost 1,000 people lined the street, with 10 police officers holding back the crowds.
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293:. Her signature song was her biggest hit, "I'm a Little Blackbird Looking for a Bluebird". Another of her hit songs was "I'm Cravin' for that Kind of Love".
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857:"21 Questions with R2C2H2: Author Bill Egan shines spotlight back on The Blackbird and Jazz Queen of Harlem after 79 years in obscurity..."
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She began performing as a child. At the age of six she sang duets with her two older sisters, Olivia and Maude. They eventually formed a
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in tribute, orchestrating it the following year. The rising triplet near the beginning (bar 8) is a quote from the fanfare that opened
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372:, all of whom had performed with Mills. Dignitaries and political figures of different races sent their condolences. She is buried at
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Florence Mills (Florence
Winfrey) was born a daughter of formerly enslaved parents Nellie (Simon) and John Winfrey in 1896 in
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at 220 West 135th Street was believed to be where
Florence Mills lived from 1910 to 1927. In 1976, the site was designated a
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was recorded with
Juanita Stinette Chappell on vocals and Waller on organ. Other songs recorded the same day include
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399:(born as Richard Cecil McPherson). Thompson outlived both of his wives; he died in 1990, at the age of 101, in
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on
November 1, 1927. She was 31 years old. Most sources, including black newspapers, such as the
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The show featured a local all-white cast in the first half and Mills starring with the all-Black
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225:. It opened at the Forty-Eighth Street Theatre on July 22. The English theatrical impresario
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126:; January 25, 1896 – November 1, 1927), billed as the "Queen of Happiness", was an American
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456:- also a friend and champion of Duke Ellington - saw Florence Mills when she performed in
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Mills became well known in New York as a result of her role in the
Broadway musical
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The
Florence Mills Theatre opened on 8 December 1930 at 3511 South Central Avenue,
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in 1923, and again when she visited London a second time in 1926-7 for her show
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162:(1888–1990), to whom she would be married from 1921 until her death.
847:, p. 527 - 'Florence Mills Theatre Opens in Los Angeles' (report).
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218:. In 1922, Leslie turned the nightclub acts into a Broadway show,
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754:, November 5, 1927, p. 1; "Florence Mills Dies of Appendicitis",
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Mills was pictured on a postage stamp issued by the island of
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Black in
Blackface: A sourcebook on early Black Musical Shows
349:, reported that she died of complications from appendicitis.
592:. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 798–799.
512:, by Alan Schroeder, was published by Lee and Low in 2012.
258:(1926). Among her fans when she toured Europe was the then
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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
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Exhausted from more than 300 performances of the hit show
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Newman, Richard (1994). "Mills, Florence (1896–1927)".
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On her death Lambert immediately wrote the piano piece
317:. She died of infection following an operation at the
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818:Notes to Hyperion recording of Constant Lambert's
590:Black Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia
486:A residential building at 267 Edgecombe Avenue in
179:), one of the events marking the beginning of the
664:"Ulysses 'Slow Kid' Thompson [biography]"
668:Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia
917:Spatial audio piece dedicated to Florence Mills
966:Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)
722:Roy, Rob. "Florence Mills Phenominal Reign",
508:was published in 2006, and a children's book,
501:in honor of "The Birth of the Silver Screen".
262:, Edward, who told the press that he had seen
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337:, and mainstream publications, including the
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561:, but the designation was withdrawn in 2009.
510:Baby Flo: Florence Mills Lights Up the Stage
449:, neither of which were composed by Waller.
237:in spring 1923 in a show he produced called
233:company to London, and they appeared at the
951:20th-century African-American women singers
515:Mills is referenced in the 2023 video game
29:
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767:"10,000 Pay Tribute to Florence Mills",
16:African American entertainer (1896–1927)
646:"Florence Mills Friends and Associates"
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567:, named in honor of Florence Mills and
352:Her death shocked the music world. The
313:in London in 1926, she became ill with
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419:memorialized Mills in his composition
447:Gone but Not Forgotten—Florence Mills
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780:"Scores Collapse at Mills Funeral",
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183:. She received favorable reviews in
956:20th-century American women singers
701:(Scarecrow Press, 2006), pp. 86–96.
429:also memorialized Mills in a song,
870:Florence Mills: Harlem: Jazz Queen
859:, W.E. A.L.L. B.E., July 16, 2006,
629:"Early Days Desperate, Says Flo",
506:Florence Mills: Harlem: Jazz Queen
504:A biography by Bill Egan entitled
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976:African-American female comedians
887:Florence Mills: Harlem Jazz Queen
797:Florence Mills: Harlem Jazz Queen
698:Florence Mills: Harlem Jazz Queen
494:neighborhood is named after her.
557:maintained as a landmark by the
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971:Comedians from Washington, D.C.
616:"Biography", FlorenceMills.com.
946:American vaudeville performers
907:Florence Mills tribute website
750:For example, "Final Curtain",
130:singer, dancer, and comedian.
1:
961:20th-century American singers
912:Florence Mills lying in state
650:Bill Egan - FlorenceMills.com
248:In 1924 she headlined at the
741:, November 12, 1927, p. A8.
635:, February 28, 1925, p. 14.
319:Hospital for Joint Diseases
203:with launching her career.
160:Ulysses "Slow Kid" Thompson
111:Ulysses "Slow Kid" Thompson
94:Singer, dancer, entertainer
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835:Sampson, Henry T. (2013).
784:, November 7, 1927, p. 25.
771:, November 3, 1927, p. 27.
555:National Historic Landmark
173:Daly's 63rd Street Theatre
245:cast in the second half.
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981:American women comedians
285:and was photographed by
323:New York City, New York
255:Lew Leslie's Blackbirds
75:New York City, New York
728:, April 9, 1955, p. 7.
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273:Mills was featured in
239:Dover Street to Dixie.
873:at FlorenceMills.com.
686:at Black Renaissance.
559:National Park Service
518:Marvel's Spider-Man 2
458:Dover Street to Dixie
443:You Live On in Memory
401:Little Rock, Arkansas
299:
547:Florence Mills House
889:. Scarecrow Press,
885:Egan, Bill (2006).
839:. Scarecrow Press,
758:, November 2, 1927.
800:, March 31, 2006,
793:Wetzel, Florence.
739:Pittsburgh Courier
737:"Florence Mills",
632:Pittsburgh Courier
435:Camden, New Jersey
389:Prescott, Arkansas
334:Pittsburgh Courier
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227:Charles B. Cochran
181:Harlem Renaissance
452:English composer
415:After her death,
374:Woodlawn Cemetery
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99:Years active
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454:Constant Lambert
431:Bye Bye Florence
385:Ulysses Thompson
328:Chicago Defender
222:Plantation Revue
157:acrobatic dancer
140:Washington, D.C.
124:Florence Winfrey
83:Other names
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67:November 1, 1927
56:Washington, D.C.
52:January 25, 1896
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462:London Pavilion
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291:Edward Steichen
289:'s studios and
260:Prince of Wales
235:London Pavilion
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134:Life and career
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69:(1927-11-01)
941:1927 deaths
936:1896 births
695:Bill Egan,
481:Los Angeles
466:Blackbirds.
427:Fats Waller
282:Vanity Fair
175:(barely on
930:Categories
795:review of
576:References
492:Sugar Hill
474:Blackbirds
397:Cecil Mack
370:Lottie Gee
366:Cora Green
311:Blackbirds
266:11 times.
264:Blackbirds
243:Plantation
231:Plantation
212:Lew Leslie
171:(1921) at
153:Cora Green
144:vaudeville
48:1896-01-25
378:the Bronx
197:Liverpool
149:Ada Smith
102:1901–1927
525:See also
439:Florence
343:and the
331:and the
177:Broadway
921:mozilla
499:Grenada
460:at the
287:Bassano
270:good".
128:cabaret
893:
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825:, 2005
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488:Harlem
407:Legacy
368:, and
206:After
193:Ostend
185:London
122:(born
107:Spouse
77:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
376:, in
305:Death
276:Vogue
189:Paris
919:via
891:ISBN
841:ISBN
594:ISBN
445:and
300:1923
279:and
220:The
64:Died
38:Born
549:in
490:'s
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