Developments in the world of Florence Mills lore may not happen at the frenetic pace of the modern media but there are plenty of things happening from time to time so I hope to update this page regularly.
The previous editions of news can be seen still at Archive No. 1, No. 2 , No.3 , No.4 , No.5 , No.6 , No.7, No.8 , NO.9, No.10, No.11, No.12, No.13, No.14, No.15 No.16 No.17, No.18, No.19 and No.20
The full story of the Florence Mills Rising Star
award can be seen at:
https://variety.com/2022/scene/news/black-women-on-broadway-danielle-brooks-amber-iman-jocelyn-bioh-1235281935/
The 'rising star' title is particularly apt for
Florence, who was noted for her charitable works, including supporting rising
stars of her era. The most notable of these was the young Paul Robeson, but in
my book the following examples are also noted:
When the playwright Garland Anderson was the first black person to have a full
length play, "Appearances" on Broadway, Florence Mills was one of the people
reported (Amsterdam News, 30 December 1925) as helping fund him to
prevent the Broadway run closing early.
"Early in February (1927) an
announcement appeared in the Amsterdam News, signed by Florence Mills,
Ivan Harold Browning of the Four Harmony Kings, and John Payne, announcing two
scholarships in London for African American female singers, a soprano and a
contralto, to study with Louis Drysdale, a West Indian voice teacher."