
January 25, 1896 - November 1, 1927
- Florence Mills (born Florence Winfrey) was one of the greatest entertainers and singing, dancing jazz performers
the world has ever seen.
- She was one of the all-time greatest stars of the black theatre, the first black international
female superstar of the Twentieth century and a major figure of the Harlem Renaissance
- Florence Mills was steeped in the traditions of African-based
black music and black dance that gave the world the Spirituals ('sorrow songs'), the Blues,
Ragtime, Jazz and the basis of much of today's popular culture
- She was also a truly lovable, charitable, socially and intellectually aware woman, who
spoke out for the rights of her fellow African Americans.
- Florence Mills is largely forgotten and neglected today, mainly because the primitive recording techniques
of the early twentieth century couldn't capture her remarkable voice, and
she was never filmed, so no record of her performance remains.
- The purpose of this site is to help reclaim for her the status and respect her
remarkable talents and heroic personality warrant, in the eyes of the world and of her
fellow African-Americans, to whom she was so important in the 1920s.
- Check
the
links below to learn about Florence's true greatness, or read The
Book !
T

See Florence's personal
Christmas greetings to the world
T
Florence
Mills: Month by Month
December

1911
Teenage
star of School
Days in Darktown (Olympia Theatre, Brooklyn) produced by Cecil
Mack of "Charleston" fame
1916 With Panama Trio, and Alberta Hunter, at
Panama Cafe
1920 With the
Tennessee Ten, and Bert Lahr, in highly successful production Folly Town
1921 In Shuffle Along NAACP benefit
performance at Lafayette Theatre
1923 Entertains inmates at Sing Sing prison
1924 Makes test recording at Victor
Studios; alas, voice too soft for equipment
1925 Contributes to fund for Garland
Anderson, promising young black playwright
1926 Makes sensational appearance at
London Grand Charleston Ball
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Bill
[AT]
FlorenceMills.com
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[AT]
FlorenceMills.com
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