Books:
Waters, Ethel and Charles Samuels Doubleday. His Eye Is On The Sparrow. Garden City, New York: Company Inc., 1951.
This book also provided ample information on Ethel Waters and her career within the city of Harlem as well
as outside it. It helped us understand the problems faced by black female performers at this time.
Knaack, Twilia. Ethel Waters: I Touched A Sparrow. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1978.
This book contained specific information about Ethel Waters and her hit song, “I Touched Sparrow.” It helped
with the perspective on Ethel Waters and her impact on the people of this time.
Holt, Ted Fox. Showtime at the Apollo. New York: Rinehart and Winston, 1983.
This resource helped provide information about Ethel Waters’ and Florence Mills’ great performing careers
within the city of Harlem. Although it did not go into detail about the two women, it helped provide backup information.
Fabre, Genevieve and Michel Fetih, ed. Temples for Tomorrow: Looking Back at the Harlem Renaissance.
Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana University Press, 2001.
This book provided an overall perspective of the Harlem Renaissance as well as the contributions of Ethel Waters
and Florence Mills to the growth of this area. Although it gave little background information, it helped put all the
information into perspective.
Waters, Ethel. To Me, It's Wonderful. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1972.
This was another book with detailed information about Ethel Waters and her career in Harlem during the Harlem
Renaissance. It focused on her career and the struggles she faced within it.
Scholarly Journal:
Rankin, Allen. "Three lives of Ethel Waters" Reader's Digest v. 101. December 1972. <http://vnweb.hwilsonweb.com>
This magazine article discusses Ethel Waters' childhood, her success, and the aftermath of her success. It speaks
about all the factors of her childhood that made her such a determined person. When writing about her success, the author
writes about her influential works and her contribution to the music industry.
Locke, Alain. "The Negro and the American Stage" The Theatre Arts Monthly. February 1926. 112.
This was an article written by Alain Locke in 1926. It discusses many famous African American performers including
Ethel Waters. He gives some information on her, mainly her influence on blues.
St. Clair, Miller. "The Role of the Negro in the History of Broadway" January 27, 1939. <http://cisweb.lexis-nexis.com>
This article discusses various stage performers. One of the performers it focuses on is Florence Mills. St. Clair
writes about Florence Mills' Broadway hit "Shuffle Along." She goes on to give background information on the play itself.
Monceaux, Morgan. "Slave to the rhythm" International Review of African Art vol. 13 no.4: 1996, 30-33.
"Slave to the Rhythm" discusses various genres of music inspired by the 1920's and the Harlem Renaissance.
One of the various genres created during this period was blues and this article speaks about many artists who made a
foundation for the genre. It then goes on to speak of Ethel Waters and her influence and contributions to blues.
Websites:
“Florence Mills.” Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. 2005. Wikipedia. 11 Dec. 2005.
This website contains an article on what Florence Mills is well know for. The article gives
the reader of Mills’ popularity in America as well as the world. The article also gives the reader
insight on the success that Mills had in acting as well as in singing.
Meyers, Aaron. Ethel Waters. SBurton Services. 2003. Microsoft Africana. 2003
<http://www.wntb.com/blackachievers/ethlwaters/?>
This article contains a brief summary of the life of Ethel Waters. She was born as a result of
the rape of a white man, thus making her a mulatto. She began singing at the age of five and was well
known for her singing roles in different plays including Broadway. Waters was known for her acting as well.
In the latter part of her life, she wrote a couple of autobiographies.
“Florence Mills used the power of dance, songs to unite races.” Black History. Ed. Rahkia Nance. Capital Outlook. 2005.
<http://www.capitaloutlook.com/stories/blackhistory.htm>.
This website contains an article that tells how Florence Mills used her talent to mend race relations.
Mills performed in front of black audiences as well as white audience and was viewed as an ambassador for black
culture. Some considered Florence Mills as one of the greatest dancers of her time. Mills sang as well as
danced. Many artists say that she had a beautiful voice. Mills performed overseas as well as in America and
experienced racial barriors there as well. Florence Mills died in 1927 after going to the hospital for a much
needed surgery, but never recovering from it.
“Famous Christians in History.” Marilyn Hickey Ministries. 2005. <http://www.mhmin.org/FC/fc-1193EthelW.htm >
This website contains an article that gives the story of the live of Ethel Waters. It tells the
struggles that Waters faced growing up in her home. The article gives insight to her religious background
and how she gave her life to God at the age of 11 in a Methodist revival. Waters continued to play secular
music though. In the latter years of her life, Waters did Christian concerts at Billy Graham Crusades.
Carr, Larry. “Ethel Waters.” Jazzateria.com. 2003. <http://www.jazzateria.com/roots/ewaters.html>.
This website contains an article that talks about the different talents that Ethel Waters has. Waters
was known as an actor, singer, as well as a writer. She was known as an all around performer. Waters was
very famous during the Harlem Renaissance period. She performed in black theater as well as on Broadway. In
the latter years of her life, she wrote a couple of autobiographies and performed in concerts at Billy Graham Crusades.
Newspapers:
Booker, Robert. "Blues singer touched many" Tennessee: Knoxville News-Sentinel Co., September 20, 2005.
As is mentioned by the title, this article speaks about the influence of blues and blues singers on music.
This article speaks mainly of Ethel Waters' influence on the genre and how here songs helped to make it mainstream.
"Little known Blackbird leaves a Blues Legacy" The Canberra Times A: The Federal Capital Press of Australia p. 12,
Copyright 2005. <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>
This article is written about Florence Mills. It gives some biographical information on her and offers some
of her many accomplishments. The article also speaks about Mills not being widely known, and for this reason not many
know of her contributions to blues.
Avery, Nicole Volta. "Shout and Wails for the Women of Jazz and Blues" About...Time. Vol XXIII, Iss. 6; 30 Jun 1995, pg. 22
This article is on Ethel Waters. It has information on many women that influenced and contributed to blues.
It gives information on Ethel's music and some background information.
Watkins, Ralph. "A Survey of the African American Presence in the Downstate New York Area" Afro-Americans in New York Life
and History New York. Vol. 15, Iss 1, Jan 31, 1991, p. 52
This article contains information on the thoughts and opinions of African American in New York during the Harlem
Renaissance Era and the need for reformation of slums and other impoverished areas. This pertains to the areas of Harlem
where such artists as Ethel Waters and Florence Mills lived.
Popular magazines:
Ebony, Lynn Norment. "A Century of Black Beauty and Style" Vol. 54 Issue 11; Sep. 99. p. 36
This magazine article describes the contribution of African Americans to the arts of fashion, styles,
and beauty. It describes how the Black celebrities, singers, and performers influenced the commercial industry.
Anderson, George M. "Of Many Things" America. Vol. 186 Issue 17, 20 May 2002, p 2.
This magazine article describes an average day of an African American in Manhattan, New York.
The author is describing his literary reflections of his daily readings.
McCorkle, Susannah "The Mother of Us All" American Heritage. Vol. 45 Issue 1, Feb. 1994, p. 60
This magazine article describes the impact of Ethel Waters on the media, the genre of Jazz and the
music derived from it. The author explains how Ethel Waters deserved more credit for the contribution
she gave to music, the stage, and inspiration to aspiring artists.
Rankin, Allen. "Three lives of Ethel Waters" Reader's Digest v. 101. December 1972. <http://vnweb.hwilsonweb.com>
This magazine article discusses Ethel Waters' childhood, her success, and the aftermath of her success. It speaks
about all the factors of her childhood that made her such a determined person. When writing about her success, the author
writes about her influential works and her contribution to the music industry.
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