Scoop Archives: Women of the Harlem Renaissance

The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and early 1930s marked an unprecedented period of expression by Blacks in music, literature, art, politics, and economics. Never before had America seen such a rich, diverse explosion of Black culture. Centered in Harlem, the movement ushered in an era of self-discovery and individual expression that was national in origin and international in scope. The creative efforts of the artists and writers of the Harlem Renaissance laid a powerful foundation that effectively altered the standards of artistic and literacy excellence.

Ivie Anderson (1905-1949) “Ivie was our good luck charm,” said Duke Ellington of his featured singer. Her addition to the orchestra was a boon to the sound, and the popularity of Ellington’s Ensemble. Slim and beautiful, always dressed in white on stage, Anderson quickly became a favorite of the fans.

According to Duke, “In London at the Palladium, she stopped the show. While she was singing ‘Stormy Weather,’ the audience and all the management brass broke down crying and applauding.”

Ivie Anderson was born in  Gilroy, California, and began performing in nightclubs and a touring version of Shuffle Along as a teenager. In 1928, she sang with the Anson Weeks Orchestra, becoming the first Black woman to sing with a white orchestra. She joined Ellington in 1931 and stayed with the group until asthma forced her to retire in 1942. She made numerous recordings with Ellington, including It Don’t Mean a Thing, I Got It Bad, and All-Star Blues.