Celebrate Gladys Bentley, the Black lesbian pianist and vocalist who was the unapologetic, tuxedo-clad Queen of the Harlem Renaissance and an early pioneer of queer performance.
Category Archives: Blues History
Mother of the Blues: Ma Rainey, The Black Queer Icon Who Sang Her Truth Into History
Celebrate Ma Rainey, the Mother of the Blues and a Black bisexual pioneer who used her historic music, including “Prove It on Me Blues,” to boldly challenge convention in the 1920s.
Lady Day’s Lament: Billie Holiday, The Black Queer Icon Who Sang Our Pain into Power
Hey there, my loves! It’s Cerinass, here. Today, we’re talking about a voice that was pure pain, pure poetry, and pure power. A woman who sang the blues of America and carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. We’re talking about the one and only, Billie Holiday. You know how some music justContinueContinue reading “Lady Day’s Lament: Billie Holiday, The Black Queer Icon Who Sang Our Pain into Power”
Empress of the Blues: Bessie Smith’s Roaring Legacy and Fierce Fights
Explore the powerful legacy of Bessie Smith, the “Empress of the Blues.” Learn about her musical achievements and the challenges she faced as an openly Black lesbian woman in the 1920s.
You must be logged in to post a comment.