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Ethel Waters · Born in Pennsylvania on October 3, 1896 · Died September 1, 1977 · Ethel was born to a 12 year old mother, Louis Anderson, who had been raped by a white man, John Waters, at Knife point · She had a troubled life an poverty with a rejecting mother · She sang in the church choir · Her childhood was cut short. · When she was 13, she married an abusive man and dropped out of 6th grade. One year she was discovered · Worked as a maid · She was discovered roe being a good actress in 1917 when she was singing in a singing contest · Stage name is "Big Mamma Stringbean," because that was chosen for her acting career · One of the first black singers to cut a record on the Black Swan record label Ethel Waters · Toured with Fletcher Henderson and the Black Swan jazz masters · Her grandmother influenced her not to holler by telling her "you don't have to holler, because God has very big ears. He can here you even if you whisper" · Raised by her maternal grandmother

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16y ago

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