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 !

See Florence's personal Christmas greetings to the world

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                                                 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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