Ethel Waters broke barriers as a jazz and blues singer, performer, and actress. #BlackHistoryMonth | IMDb

A tale of two Ethels ❤️ The mesmerizing Ethel Waters was a hugely successful performer in the 1920s and 1930s who began on the vaudeville circuit and then moved to Harlem, appearing on Broadway and in films. But what was her life like off the stage? Waters is one of the many queer creative figures featured in The Gay Harlem Renaissance, on view at The New York Historical through March 8. | The New York Historical

Vocalist and actress Ethel Waters was a key figure in the development of African American culture between the two World Wars. She broke barrier after barrier, becoming the first black woman heard on the radio, the first black singer to perform on television, the first African American to perform in an integrated cast on Broadway, and the first black woman to perform in a lead dramatic role on Broadway. As a singer Waters introduced over 50 songs that became hits, including standards of the magni