2/14/1880 (Aquarius) NYC
d. 10/11/1914
I first featured Aida on my posts for Goddess energy and Black History Month
I came across her picture while pinning in Pinterest. Something about her eyes. She seems so present day. So current. Not 100 years ago. Something about her draws me in.
She was a major vaudeville star and when she married another major vaudeville star, they became a touring power couple.
Vaudeville was a way for many entertainers to make a name for themselves back at the turn of the century (1900s).
Aida worked with musical theater and did many shows for Hammerstein's theater. She had been touring, singing, and performing since 15 years old. She married George Walker in 1899 and they went on to perform all over the US and Europe to high acclaim. She stepped away for a year to care for her ailing husband before his death in 1911 and she returned to touring in 1912, still to high acclaim.
Aida died suddenly of kidney failure in 1914, yet was touring and performing right up until her death.
She was known as the Queen of the Cakewalk.
"I venture to think and dare to state that our profession does more toward the alleviation of color prejudice than any other profession among colored people."
She died at age 34. Young by today’s standards. To make it to your 30s was middle aged then. She is intriguing to me. Actually, most of the vaudeville stars are. It was not an easy life, yet some found a way to display their gifts and talents and make a good living doing so.
I want to see what else I can find on her. What story she has to tell. Her eyes tell me that she packed a lot of living in those 34 years.