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In 1921 Florence Mills played the role that she would later give credit for launching her career. Shuffle Along was a revue-style musical written and performed by black artists on Broadway. It is seen by many to mark the official start of the Harlem Renaissance. It proved to be very popular, running 504 shows, and launching the careers of many performers including Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker, and of course, Florence Mills. The show proved to be a breakthrough for black artists. It legitimized black musicals in the business and proved that people would pay to see them and that they could be successful. This paved the way for other artists. In that way, Florence Mills had a hand in launching the Harlem Renaissance and opening the door
for other artists of the era.
A
At the age of 31, Florence Mills had performed more than 300 shows of the hit musical Blackbirds in London when she fell ill with tuberculosis. Florence Mills died of an infection following a surgery in New York City, New York on November 1, 1926. 10,000 people visited the funeral home to pay their respects, and thousands attended her funeral including the president of the NAACP. Her death shocked the music world, but her legacy lives on through her work.
"10,000 people attended her
funeral"
Page By: Lauren Stich