Elisabeth Welch, the American singer who introduced the “Charleston” on Broadway before becoming a superstar in England, in 1935. Born in Manhattan in 1904 to a Scottish-Irish mother and African American father, Ms. Welch was a favorite of iconic composers Noël Coward and Cole Porter. She was the first singer to popularize the classic Porter tune, “Love for Sale” and it would become a signature song in her career. She also introduced “Stormy Weather” to British audiences and would be so beloved there, she remained for the rest of her life. Ms. Welch, among other career highlights in her 70-year career, was nominated for a Tony award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1986 at age 82, for her role in “Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood.” Ms. Welch also starred in two films with Paul Robeson, “Song of Freedom” in 1936 and “Big Fella” in 1937. In the comment section, I am linking a fantastic short video (1:56) of Ms. Welch singing “Harlem in my Heart” from “Big Fella” and Mr. Robeson can be seen in the clip. Photo: National Portrait Gallery, London.
I hear that Dame Shirley Bassey will make her first appearance on the Academy Awards on February 24th. I can’t wait to see that! Here, she is in her dressing room in London in May 1958, looking almost as good as she does today! Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images.
Happy 71st Birthday to Muhammad Ali! The Greatest and, quite possibly, The Handsomest of All Time, was born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. This photo of Mr. Ali was taken in 1966 in London, where he was training for his upcoming fight with British champion Henry Cooper. Photo: Keystone-France/Getty.
Four African beauty queens pose at their London hotel before the 1967 Miss World beauty contest. From left to right: Teresa Shayo, Miss Tanzania; Rosemary Salmon, Miss Uganda; Rosalind Balogun, Miss Nigeria and Araba Vroon, Miss Ghana. Photo: Leonard Burt. Hulton Archives/Getty Images.
And you thought it was impossible to come up with more fabulous images of Josephine Baker… In this June 1945 photograph, she is entertaining the troops (and one very lucky, shy soldier) at a London victory party. Photo by Jack Esten/Getty Images.
Alice Coachman (far right), the first African-American woman to win a gold medal (1948 London) takes a break and watches the games with fellow athletes, Emma Reed, of Nashville, Tennessee (broad and high jumper) and Nell C. Jackson, of Tuskegee, Alabama, (200 meters and relay. Ms. Coachman, a native of Albany, Georgia, won the gold in the high jump. Photo: Bettman/Corbis
Not to be taken personally on this Sunday morning… Nina Simone singing “Go to Hell,” live in London, 1968.
Cissy Houston, Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shamwell and Estelle Brown of The Sweet Inspirations in London to promote their single “What the World Needs Now” in December 1968. Photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS
Diana Ross at the London premiere of “Lady Sings the Blues” with Tony Bennett on April 5, 1973. Photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis.
Princess Kouka of Sudan with Paul Robeson in London on the way to North Africa to film “Jericho” in 1937.
cc: @lascasartoris
