PART I: THE EARLY YEARS AND NEW YORK (by Keller WHALEN) The Sepia Mae West, Copper-Colored Mae West, Creole Mae West, Scarlett O’Hara from Lennox Avenue, Gypsy Rose Lee in Bronze, Rainy Day Sadie, the Duchess of Yorkville, the Chick with the Limber Timbre, and Miss Atomic Blues.  These are all sobriquets given to Mae Johnson, forgotten star of the Cotton Club. Read the full story →

PART 4: LOS ANGELES, RECORDS, AND THE STAGE (by Keller Whalen)  The Sepia Mae West, Copper-Colored Mae West, Creole Mae West, Scarlett O’Hara from Lennox Avenue, Gypsy Rose Lee in Bronze, Rainy Day Sadie, the Duchess of Yorkville, the Chick with the Limber Timbre, and Miss Atomic Blues.  These are all sobriquets given to Mae Johnson, forgotten star of the Cotton Club. Read the full story →

PART 2: THE COTTON CLUB REVUES (by Keller Whalen) The Sepia Mae West, Copper-Colored Mae West, Creole Mae West, Scarlett O’Hara from Lennox Avenue, Gypsy Rose Lee in Bronze, Rainy Day Sadie, the Duchess of Yorkville, the Chick with the Limber Timbre, and Miss Atomic Blues.  These are all sobriquets given to Mae Johnson, forgotten star of the Cotton Club. Read the full story →