tIme March 16–23, 20201920s1923 | BLUES EMPRESS
BESSIE
SMITH
BY MJ RODRIGUEZ
BessIe smIth was Born Into tragedy.
Her parents died by the time she was 9,
leaving her in the care of older sib-
lings. A gifted singer, Smith was for-
ever changed—perhaps even saved—by
her rare talent on the stage and insatia-
ble drive off it. Years of busking and per-
forming in traveling vaudeville shows led
to a deal with Columbia Records in 1923
and a signature recording, “Downhearted
Blues,” which sold nearly 800,000 copies.
Smith’s song became an instant clas-
sic, beloved by contemporary audiences
and revered by the generations that fol-
lowed. It helped make Smith the highest-
paid black entertainer of the time and
earned her the moniker Empress of the
Blues. But Smith was set apart by more
than her success. Often called “rough,”
she was not only African American and
curvy, but also an openly bisexual artist
who channeled her early struggles into her
music. Her lyrics— defined by her sass and
biting wit— addressed poverty and con-
flict, imploring working- class women to
be up-front about their sexual desires.
For me, as an African- American
woman who is trans—part of two com-
munities that are most marginalized—
Smith’s life shows the importance of stay-
ing true to yourself, even when the hardest
of obstacles are in your way.
Rodriguez is an actor on FX’s Pose
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