Renée Watson - Harlems Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills

Text copyright 2012 by Rene Watson

Jacket art and interior illustrations copyright 2012 by Christian Robinson

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Watson, Renee.

Harlems little blackbird / Rene Watson; illustrated by Christian Robinson. 1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-375-86973-0 (trade) ISBN 978-0-375-96973-7 (lib. bdg.)

ISBN 978-0-375-98537-9 (ebook)

1. Mills, Florence, 18961927Juvenile literature.

2. African American singersNew York (State)New YorkBiographyJuvenile literature.

3. SingersNew York (State)New YorkBiographyJuvenile literature.

I. Robinson, Christian, ill. II. Title.

ML3930.M63W37 2012

782.42165092dc23

[B] 2011043314

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for Harlem
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R.W.

for Gagahappy 101st birthday
C.R.

T hey called her Harlems Little Blackbird. Her name was Florence Mills. She was born in 1896 and lived in a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy house in Washington, DC. A house so fragile, it would shake whenever a thunderstorm came.

Mother said, Dont fear. And she would sway back and forth to the rains rhythm, singing the same spirituals that had carried her family through slaverys storms.

Mothers voice wrapped Florence like a warm blanket. Florence started singing too. The louder the thunder roared, the stronger she sang. Soon the storm faded to a damp drizzle, and then the drizzle disappeared. Her voice had chased the storm away.

Florence thought,

If my voice is powerful enough to stop

the rain, what else can it do?

It wasnt long before Florence found out.

On the playground at school, she would sing and dance. Her friends would stop playing just to listen. Whenever music would play, Florences hands got to waving, her hips got to shaking, and her feet strutted and glided across the pavement. The cakewalk is what they called it.

Everyone was cakewalking, but Florence did it best. Her feet were like wings fluttering in the air. Soon Florence was cakewalking and singing in contests all over town. She won many medals.

Florence had a hard time paying attention in school. Instead of listening to the teacher, she would stare out the window. The sky became her stage, and she was a star singing and dancing for the world.

But wishing couldnt change the fact that she was just Florence Mills, the daughter of former slaves, living in a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy house.

Word danced around Washington about the little girl with big talent. Florence was invited to perform at a fancy theater. The night before the show, she practiced her routine over and over.

On the day of the show, when Florence and her friends arrived at the theater, nothing was what Florence had dreamed it would be.

They cant come in! the manager said. He pointed to the sign that read WHITES ONLY. No Negroes in the audience!

Florence used her voice to stand up for what was right.

If they cant go in there, Im staying out here! Florence said. And with her hands on her hips and her head held high, she walked away.

Wait! the manager yelled. But Florence kept walking. He begged her to perform and snuck her friends in to see the show.

That night, Florence performed her best routine. Everyone stood and clapped.

Less than six years later, her family moved to New York City. Florence and her sisters became a singing and dancing trio, the Mills Sisters. They performed at Harlems Lincoln Theatre.

In the summer, the Mills Sisters spent their days at Coney Island. Florence never got tired of going on the rides and playing games at the arcades. But nothing was as fun as performing at the Surf Avenue Opera House.