Queer Women of Color

Trumpeter Ernestine ‘Tiny’ Davis and saxophonist Willie Mae 'Rabbit’ Wong traveling with the International Sweethearts on a European USO tour.

Davis was a member of The International Sweethearts of Rhythm band. They were the first interracial women’s band in the United States. Founded in Mississippi, The Sweethearts did not get as much exposure to mainstream audiences in the South as the all-white, male big bands of their day because of their racial make-up and the atmosphere of violent racism in that region. When they did tour the Deep South, the three or four white women in the group would paint their faces dark so the police would not remove them from the bandstand and arrest them

Tiny was with her partner, drummer Ruby Lucas for 40 years.

Post credit @blackqueerstory

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