BLACK HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: ETHEL WATERS
Thursday, October 30, 2008
ETHEL WATERS (1896 – 1977) was a blues/jazz singer and actress.
Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, on October 31, 1896, to a thirteen-year-old mother who had been raped at knifepoint. She had a rough childhood, raised in a violent, impoverished home. She said of her childhood in the opening of her autobiography His Eye Is on the Sparrow, “I was never a child. I never was coddled, or liked, or understood by my family. I never felt I belonged. I was always an outsider…. Nobody brought me up.”
Despite her unfavorable beginnings, Waters made history as the first black woman to appear on radio (on April 21, 1922); the first black woman to star on her own at the Palace Theater in New York (in 1925); the first black woman to star in a commercial network radio show (in 1933); the first singer to introduce 50 songs that became hits (in 1933); the first black singer to appear on television (in 1939); and the first black woman to star on Broadway in a dramatic play (also in 1939).
Waters was raised by her grandmother, Sally Anderson, because the way in which she was conceived was hard for her mother, Louise Anderson, to accept. Waters began cleaning houses professionally when she was about eight and dropped out of school to work as a substitute maid, dishwasher and waitress in local hotels and apartment houses.
She married at 13, but left her abusive husband and became a maid in Philadelphia working for $4.75 per week. On October 31, 1913, her 17th birthday, she attended a Halloween party and was persuaded to sing. The audience was so impressed that she was offered professional work at the Lincoln Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned $10 a week, but her managers cheated her out of the tips thrown on stage.
In 1919, Waters went to New York City and was billed as Sweet Mama String Bean because of her slender frame. In 1921, she recorded two songs for Cardinal Records and became the first artist to release a blues record on the black-owned Black Swan label, “Down Home Blues” and “Oh Daddy”. Her singing style rated with the best of the era’s vocalists, but by the mid 1920s she had stopped singing the blues.
In 1925, her friend and colleague Earl Dancer convinced her to audition for a white Chicago theater, where she ultimately became a great success at a higher salary than she had ever earned. “Dozens of people in show business say they discovered me. This always irritates me. [Club owner] Edmond’s piano player, Lou Henly, was the first one to get me to sing different types of songs. Earl Dancer pushed me into the white time,” she wrote in His Eye Is on the Sparrow.
After becoming the first black singer to break into the “white time”, Waters’ style changed to more of a successful pop star. She performed in a number of revues including Africana, Paris Bound and The Ethel Waters Broadway Revue. In 1929, she landed her first acting role in the film On with the Show. She also appeared in Pinky, which won her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in 1949.
On Broadway, Waters appeared in Mamba’s Daughters, which also brought another Academy Award nomination, though her greatest theatrical achievement was in 1950 when she played a cook in the play The Member of the Wedding and won the New York Drama Critics Award for best actress.
By the end of the 1950s, Waters began questioning the meaningfulness of her career. She had always been a religious woman, but after seeing the Billy Graham Crusade at Madison Square Garden in New York, she rededicated herself and her talents to the glory of God. She joined the Graham Crusade and toured extensively with it. She continued some secular work all of her life, appearing in The Sound and the Fury and The Heart Is a Rebel in the late ’50s and doing occasional guest spots at clubs and on television, but her main focus was the Crusade.
Waters died at the age of 80 in 1977 from cancer at the California home of a young couple who cared for her. She is the great-aunt of singer and songwriter Crystal Waters.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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46 Comments
1.
Richy
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
awww what a sad childhood
2.
Richy
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
i see talent runs in the family Crystal Waters-100% Pure Love…. that’s one of my favorite songs!
3.
bassackwards
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Nice post, I remember my bio-mom used to sing ‘am I blue”
4.
Insiring Change
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Thank you CL for doing these posts. I try to learn more about black history and influential african americans, this helps out a lot. It introduces me to people I never heard of, and inspires me to blaze a path of my own for others to follow.
Ethel Waters had a lot of firsts. I wonder how many of our current celebrities know of her? I think that there should be a “grooming/enrichment” class for our black celebrities, so that they understand whose shoulders it is that they stand on, and that they should carry themselves honorably, and respectfully at all times.
5.
YaChi
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
You left out that 1) she was a lesbian (her lover was one of her dancers and her name was Ethel Williams) and 2) her great niece is Crystal Waters as in “Her hair just wouldn’t be right without her makeup, never without makeup, ladadee, ladeedou” - Gypsy Woman.
I know black folks don’t like to talk about it, B. Scott hint, hint, but AIDS is killing our community and it’s not all because of down low brothers as some of you like to claim. If our community does not deal with HIV/AIDS and homosexuality there won’t be anyone in the pulpit to preach to.
I know that was kinda off subject, but not really.
When you do these histories, please tell all of it and not some of it.
6.
WTF
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Thanks CL. I saw her in this movie called Cabin in the Sky..she had a beautiful voice.
7.
YaChi
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Oops, you did mention it, my bad. But the rest of my post still stands.
8.
kennedi
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Very informative CL.
Ethel really was doing her thang wasn’t she…??
9.
Compton's Finest
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Awesome post CL!! I enjoyed every word of it!
10.
So what
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Ethel Waters was truly a pioneer, however her roles in later years supported the black mammy type which white people of the time period loved. You know the one that would leave her child all alone at home to be with rich white people’s children. The one in old age who would say “I just can’t stand black folks ways, I am used to white folks ways because thats all I dealt with all my life”.
I am not degrading Ms. Waters because she was only doing what was available to her. It just sickens me that white people only reward blacks who can make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
11.
Proud2BanAmerican!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
CO-SIGN WITH NUMBA 4……………..
12.
CHANGE
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Interesting post about what seems like a phenominal woman. Its always important tolearn about those that pioneered and made what we take for granted today available. Keep it up, CL!
13.
candikane
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Wonderful post CL! You guys alwways go hard on the Black History Spotlight! Thanks again for the great post!
14.
God's Girl
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Thanks CL. Very inspiring to hear of a beautiful women, despite some rather unneccessary comments. We are all God’s people even lesbians, and those that some of us consider unworthy.
15.
greta
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
I Love reading these…keep it coming cl
16.
Once again.
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
WTF mentioned Cabin in the Sky…that was a great movie..also she really disliked Lena Horne during the filiming of the movie. Obviously I did not know about her up-bringing, but since CL has put it out there…her dislike of Lena makes me understand where it could have come from…
She felt that Lena Horne received more attention than her, which she did but through no fault of Lena’s, because of her looks. She felt that she had more talent than Lena, and was really rude to Lena on the set…
17.
tee
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
To Yanci….no ones care that she was gay! the report was written to give us the history of a great women….. who she sleep with has no reason to even be brought up! ….her life was hard enough and she over came a lot of things . she goes down in history as one of thee best jazz singer of her time and today some people still use her style…. not that she had a relationship with her back up dancer …Grow up….
18.
WillPwr
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
This is what I’m talking about we should celebrate Black History every day!
19.
Tealeaf
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
I like Ethel as an actress
20.
Emma V's Great-Grandaughter
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Very good post concreteloop family and keep up with the good work.
21.
bria
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
@5 Why is her sexual preference important. It’s about her story and what she wants to tell.
22.
Emma V's Great-Grandaughter
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Very good post CL family and keep up with the good work.
23.
Amel Larrieux fan forever
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
THAT’’s What’s up! That my moms name EThel! holla ! lol
24.
The Wayno Show
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Great post. Thanks for these types of post Concrete Loop.
25.
kaykay
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
i read her first bio a few years ago-it was off the chain! if you live in philly you should read it esp. cuz that’s where she grew up. and i love Cabin in the Sky…classic. great post
26.
Knowledge
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
I appreciate CL for continuing with the ‘black spotlight’, however, I have emailed you guys some interesting people who have done a lot, why no reply back?
Also, her sexuality is not “important” but it lets us know more of her (why was it important to tell us that her mother had her at age 13 from being rape?) It’s a part of who she is and it plays a role in her choices (in a sense).BOTH of them. All of what she experienced: the abuse from her husband, the neglect from her family the racism that happened back in that time (and even now) all of it is who she is and to take away and say that her sexuality is not important takes away from who she is. No one’s taking away all that she’s done, she is no lesser if she were straight so, please do not interpret what the person said to be negative about Miss Walters.
LOL, I remember Kim Wayne doing impressions of her niece’s song on In Living Color
27.
J. Dakar
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
#26: Please email them to me at sinnerman84@gmail.com
28.
Allison
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Um Yachi @ #5, I need you to take a deep breath and have a seat. If Ethel Waters was a lesbian (this has always been speculated, but never proven), that was her choice and it doesn’t subtract a thing from her legacy. Since we’re veering off the subject, please stop pointing the finger at homosexuals as the main carriers of HIV. All people, gay, straight, or in the closet need to take the proper precautions when being sexually active.
On the subject, I loved Ethel in Pinky.
29.
Aries
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
CL sometimes you guys work my nerves with some of the “news” you post, but you always redeem yourselves with these Black History Spotlights! Absolutely Amazing! i love reading and learning about the people in our history that get little to no shine!
Keep it going!
30.
ms. kells
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
I need to read her book so that I can read about her in depth.
Thanks CL for the insightful article!!!
31.
Krazee
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Pinky was on the other night on movieplex. She played the grandmother. Everyday I’m apart of black history as long as I wake up everyday and continue to make my mark in society as a black woman!!
32.
RAWR™
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Interesting comment #10…
Also, dada -deeee dada -daaaaa… had to do that for Crystal Waters, lol
33.
MacDaddy
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Great post.
Love it when you drop knowledge from back in the day. Ethel Waters was one of the greats. I got you linked at daddyBstrong.blogspot.com
34.
BadGirl23
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Wow, the way she sang and smiled you would never think she had such a tough childhood.
I love her, Cabin in the Sky is one of my favorite movies!!!!
35.
BJB
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
I am glad she wrote her story
36.
BJB
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Ahem #10!
37.
WHYASKWHY
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Loving when CL does this
38.
JSly
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Thanks for posting this. Ethel gave an outstanding performance in “Cabin the Sky.” Her voice was amazing. It’s one of my favorite movies.
39.
NOT EASILY IMPRESSED
Thursday, October 30, 2008 /
Bravo! I loved this one!
40.
AzzedinaAliaFan
Friday, October 31, 2008 /
@16 intersting, i wonder how Lena felt about Dorth Dandridge, she was equally as pretty, and i guess their looks spoke volumes.
41.
sally
Friday, October 31, 2008 /
wow that was beautiful. sad the way she came here and to never have been a child. i am glad she got to have happier days. yes and crystal waters is the bomb. what a name “crystal” waters.
42.
2 Cents (Vote or Kill Yo'self)
Friday, October 31, 2008 /
Keep up the history posts CL, despite the fact that are people on wanna comment on what the celebs are wearing.
43.
Anonymiss
Saturday, November 1, 2008 /
This was great. I didn’t know her childhood was so sad.
I liked her in Pinky.
44.
c
Sunday, November 2, 2008 /
Wow!!!
Ethal Waters is one of my most favorite influental African American woman of all times. This post is great. It had me searchibg the web for hours, just looking at all of her work. My favorite is a move called “Cabin in the Sky”, its wonderful. I salute you Ms. Waters for your greatness.
45.
Kell-El
Monday, November 3, 2008 /
I love these, keeping OUR greats alive!!!
Oh is there a way to get links to her music, I would love to hear her?
46.
Umakmesmile
Monday, November 3, 2008 /
Remember the hot jazz spot in Baltimore named Ethel’s where she frequently made guest appearances.