Bessie Smith In The 1929 Film St. Louis Blues

Bessie Smith In The 1929 Film St. Louis Blues
I had never seen the 1929 film "St. Louis Blues" featuring Bessie Smith and much to my surprise (at
least in the shown clip) blacks were not depicted as being inadequate or as buffoons. The song
began with melancholy as she sang about her man, her demeanor uplifted along with the tempo
picked up when he entered the speakeasy, and when he left it was an immediate drop back to the
songs original beat. Having sold many records, she was cast in one of the first films to cast black
performers. The voice of an unheard people, Bessie Smith lived the life of people she sang to.
Revered by Mahalia Jackson, Bessie Smith was the voice of an unheard people and she lived the life
and shared the experiences of the people she sang to. A strong woman, domineering
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Will Smith Research Paper
WILL SMITH 1968 TO 2017
Did you know will smith was rich before he was 20? Will smith has accomplished many films over
the course of his Career. Will Smith was a rapper, Hollywood filmmaker, and had to take care of his
family all at once.
Family and early life Will Smith born and raised in West Philadelphia, and his mom was a school
board administrator. His dad was a refrigeration engineer. Will Smith went to a private Catholic
School. He has three siblings: An older sister and and two younger twins, a boy and girl.Will Smith
had attended Overbrook High School, and will smith also turned down a scholarship to the MIT
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Early work
Will Smith ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Smith's most recent studio album, Lost and Found, was released in 2005.
Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in two productions: the 2006 biographical drama The
Pursuit of Happyness, and the science fiction film After Earth, which was released on May 31, 2013.
In The Pursuit of Happyness, Smith portrayed Chris Gardner. Smith said he first became interested
in making a film about Gardner after seeing him on 20/20 and connected with him during
production. The film, along with Smith's performance, received praise.
Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus. He played Nicky Spurgeon, a
veteran con artist who takes a young, attractive woman under his wing.Focus was released on
February 27, 2015.Smith was set to star in the sci–fi thriller Brilliance, an adaptation of Marcus
Sakey's novel of the same name scripted by Jurassic Park writer David Koepp, but later left the

Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find
It was first published in 1953 in the anthology The Avon Book of Modern Writing. In 1960, it was
collected in the anthology The House of Fiction, published by Charles Scribner's Sons. "A Good
Man Is Hard to Find," One of O'Connors most famous short stories is titled after a song recorded in
1927–28 by Bessie Smith a blues singer, that informed women that had a faithful man at home to
follow her advice and give him a lot of affection; because "A Good man was hard to find". After
finding out that her man was cheating on her (Kirk).
Bailey the father wants to take his family on a vacation from Georgi to Florida, while the
"grandmother" his mother want to take a trip to East Tennessee to connect/ visit friends. To persuade
her son to follow her wishes she works to change his mind with a news article about states there is
an escaped murderer from the Federal Pen that calls himself "The Misfit" heading towards Florida
and she points out what he did to people all while "She argues that his children, John Wesley and
June Star, have never been to East Tennessee." The grandmother is labeled as "Arrogant,
hypocritical, manipulative and interfering, but she has no name throughout the story like the wife
and baby" (Kirk).
Throughout the trip the grandmother rambles on about the past how children had respect for their
elders and people respected each other, her youth, and her past maiden courtship with Mr. Edgar
Atkins Teagarden "E.A.T" and his Saturday watermelons with his initials carved into them. During
the trip they make a lunch stop at a rundown gas station "The Towers" where you will find "RED
SAMMY'S FAMOUS BARBACUE", "THE FAT BOY WITH THE HAPPY LAUGH" run by Red
Sammy Butts and his wife outside of Timothy, Georgia. The family has their lunch and grandmother
finds a listening agreeable ear about how much better their past was compared to these days.
Following lunch, the family is back on the road headed home; where the family pasts a closed–in
small family cemetery that belongs to a long–gone plantation, where the grandmother begins to
manipulate the family especially the children into wanting to go see the plantation house by lying
and telling a story of a hideaway room behind secret panels within the walls of

Bessie Smith Research Paper
Bessie Smith was one of the first and greatest blues singers, known as 'The Empress of the Blues'
inspiring the likes of Norah Jones and Mahalia Jackson. From rags to riches, the greatest voice of
the century will never stop singing.
Childhood
Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on the 15th of April in 1894 to Laura, a Blues
singer and William Smith, a Baptist minister who died shortly after her birth. When she was 12
(1906), her mother died, along with 2 of her brothers, leaving her and her remaining siblings to be
raised by their aunt. Bessie quickly realized that she had a amazing voice and started performing in
the streets with one of her brothers.
Career
Bessie's career kicked off in Rabbit Foot Minstrels, where she performed ... Show more content on
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Around 1920 she settled down in Philadelphia, getting her first big break in 1923 with Columbia
Records where she made her first recordings, including the famous 'Down Hearted Blues' which
became a huge success. Bessie Smith made about 160 recordings in total, singing alongside some of
the greatest musicians of the time.
Personal Life
In 1929 Bessie Smith married Jack Gee. The marriage was turbulent, with both having numerous
affairs. Gee loved her for the money but couldn't handle the ways of show–business. Soon the
relationship ended in that same year although neither one of them sought a divorce. Later, Smith
married an old friend, Richard Morgen and they stayed together until her death in 1937.
Smith also unofficially adopted a six year old boy she names Jack Gee Jr. Unfortunately, as her
marriage became uneasy, Gee would use their son as leverage, going as far as kidnapping him and
then accusing Smith for neglecting him. The court first gave custody to Bessie's sister Viola, then to
Jack's biological father who neglected him and even forgot to feed

Ethic, & Priorities By Jefriedom Polanco: Video Analysis
"Life, Success, Work Ethic, & Priorities" is a documentary YouTube video on Will Smith by
Jefriedom Polanco. The video is a compilation of excerpts from interviews with Will Smith
throughout his career, and it highlights his perspective, attitude and approach to life. Early in the
video, Will describes a cornerstone of his philosophy, his "Homebase". This philosophy was so
important to Will, he, along with friend Jeff Townes, aka "DJ Jazzy Jeff", titled their 1991 album
"Homebase". Describing the meaning behind the term, Smith says "...we Felt that how important it
is when you are trying to do other things in your life, how important that 'Homebase' is. To have
someplace, not necessarily you call home, but someplace in your heart, you feel home." (Polanco,
2013) I believe we all have a Homebase of some sorts. My homebase resides within me, a place
where I can step back from a situation, or even myself, and look at my life more subjectively. ...
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It was 1992, I had saved $1250, and I decided to take my brother up on an offer to move from
California to Arizona and rent a room from him for a few months for a change of pace and location
while I thought things throughout my future. During that time I looked at many different career
paths, I thought about joining the Air Force, working construction, but eventually came to the
conclusion that furthering my education with a degree would be my best option. My parents had
offered to let me live at home while I was in school, so I thought I would stay with my brother for
another couple months, then head back to California. A couple weeks after coming to this
conclusion we received a call from our parents telling us my dad had been diagnosed with a brain

African American Women and Feminists of the 1920's
Feminist of the 1920's
In the 1920's, blues was a very popular and dominating genre in the music industry. Generally, the
blues was sung by African American women because according to the book entitled, "Blues
Legacies and Black Feminism" by Angela Davis, "...The most widely heard individual purveyors of
the blues–were women." (Davis 4) The blues delivers certain emotions such as sadness, loneliness,
love, sex, and feelings about the certain circumstances the artist may be going through at the time.
Two women who dominate this style of music are Gertrude "Ma" Rainey and Bessie Smith. As
stated by "Gay & Lesbian Biography", "The careers of Rainey and Smith are closely interwoven."
Ma Rainey is a woman who is admired for both her amazing vocals and her ability to entertain.
Bessie Smith is a woman who started off as a background dancer for her peer Ma Rainey, but then
went on to emulate her by outdoing her success. Both women are very talented musicians who can
not only sing and entertain, but they also create an impact as two of the most influential feminists
during the 1920's who helped shape the blues into what it is today. According to Merriam–Webster
Dictionary, "Feminism is the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes."
Today there are millions of feminists, compared to the 1900's, where feminism was very seldom.
During the early 1900's, slavery and the domestication of women (no matter what race they were),
was very common. Beginning in

Blues Boundaries And The Blues Angela Davis Analysis
Rebekah Scarborough
15 December 2017
History of the Blues
Professor House
Did Angela Davis get it wrong?
As a consequence of slavery and segregation, Angela Y. Davis contends in ''Blues
Legacies and Black Feminism,'' her study of the recordings of Billie Holiday and the blues
vaudevillians Gertrude (Ma) Rainey and Bessie Smith, ''black social consciousness has been
overdetermined by race,'' with too little attention paid to sex and virtually none to class. Davis, a
professor of something called the ''history of consciousness'' at the University of California,
Santa Cruz, would have a hard time selling such a notion to this country's black poor, who are
understandably inclined to blame the legacy of white racism for their poverty. But she's right in
step with the more radical of her academic colleagues, even if her ingrained cultural nationalism
prevents her from joining them in dismissing race as an arbitrary social construct with no basis in
anthropology. Race, according to current academic thinking, is a smokescreen that has drawn
discussion away from the more crucial issue of class.
If this sounds suspiciously like Marxism, it is Marxism gone post–modern: a tool for the
analysis of literary and other ''texts,'' not necessarily a call for the exploited masses to rise. One
of the side effects of this recent trend has been to restore the credibility of certain black

intellectuals and activists of the 1960's and 70's, whose Marxist ideals might otherwise make
them seem like relics not of their own day but of the 1930's. Davis made the news in 1969, when
the Regents of the University of California attempted to bar her from teaching at U.C.L.A.
because she was a member of the Communist Party, and again a year later, when she briefly
became a fugitive after being accused of supplying the brother of George Jackson with the
firearms for his one–man raid on a Marin County courthouse. (Jonathan Jackson was killed,
along with three others, in the ensuing shootout. Davis was later apprehended, tried and
acquitted.)
Davis's thesis in ''Blues Legacies and Black Feminism,'' in a nutshell, is that Ma Rainey
and Bessie Smith, among other flamboyant women blues singers

Midwestern Contemporary Art Case Study
Many situations present the important synchronization of internal versus external negotiations.
Many individuals have studied how each side in the negotiation is able to manage the internal
opposition to agreements being negotiated. This can also be known as "on the table", or what
exactly is on the line in a heated argument. Each individual involve in an argument has a particular
position to be managed, and often times own personal interests are widely expressed. This paper will
expand upon the case of Fischer collecting needed funds from Smith with proposals and ideas for a
manageable negotiation.
Original goals in negotiation The Midwestern contemporary art case study revolves around the
current MCA board chair ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Simply put resting at a conclusion after a negotiation may not necessarily be the ideal outcome
unless cooperative is achieved by both parties. Bargaining in general could involve parents, friends,
teachers, spouses, employers, and so on (Anderson, 2013). Likewise companies also negotiation
contracts with one another or individuals involved within the companies. In the instance of Fischer
and Smith, a formal negotiation was never made between them personally, but as a whole Smith
agreed to make pledges to Midwest Contemporary Art years and years beforehand. Pledges would
be made on a consistent basis once started, but since pledges after the initial $10,000 one were never
initiated the Contemporary Art facility is struggling. In the original location which was much
smaller than the renovated one the museum perhaps would have had no troubles staying afloat with
or without the pledge of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. After the renovations of a new facility the value of the
museums success rested on contributions initially promised by Mr. Smith.
Interests in the case Coming from a stand point of pretending to be Mrs. Fischer personal interests in
the case are a matter of whether or not employment at the museum will occur in the future for one.
Secondly, the future of the museum is resting on one stubborn person that finally has answered
several phone calls. Mrs. Fischer is a hard

Virginia Albee's Themes: Morality And Values
2 Morality and value Morality and value are the second themes that can find in Albee's plays.
According to Adams (1985: 1–2) in 1960s the United States suffered enough with African–
American issues and the SSSR and Albee, and his followers wrote some plays in response to the
existing situation and American values. In his famous work Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Albee
critically examined institutions and values that Americans held dear – family, marriage, success and
glory, for instance – and proposed they might have taken as shelter to escape from reality
(Adams1985: 2). Through his plays, Albee struggles enough to prove his skillful as a dramatist; the
play was also considered controversial, as it challenged traditional American values and used
offensive language Both Adams (20) and Bigsby (2000: 131) claims that the play is situated in New
England, a cradle of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Bigsby again (1984: 261) argues that Albee's The death of Bessie Smith main concern is concerns
with racism, but "is more usefully seen as a morality play about the collapse of human values and
national purpose." Then he adds, (261) George's "situation resembles that of the Intern in The Death
of Bessie Smith, since they both are frustrated and disappointed by the reality of their lives.
Additionally, he (2000:135) claims that "He [Albee] has never been a realistic playwright even when
as in The Death of Bessie Smith and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – He appeared to be." Thus,
the plays are only based on the historical event, but instead of only representing the event it aims at
values of the current society. The play is not about a simple explanation of racism. Rather, they play
is more compound and concerns with many themes, such morals and values of the contemporary

Nhra Drag Racing Analysis
The TV show I chose for a male focus is in the Sports category, specifically titled "NHRA Drag
Racing". A little context regarding the sport itself, it is one of if not the highest ranking professional
automotive racing in the world, the sport is only place that features Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny
Cars using Nitromethane for gasoline allowing them to travel a 1/4 mile in 3–4 seconds at over 300+
MPH. The announcers for the sport react to the male drivers by giving a high regard for their driving
capabilities and character within the sport. Announcers for the male drivers tend to give perceptions
that the men, although only paid to drive the car down the drag strip, are generally educated on the
mechanical aspects of their car. The language ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The information regarding the sport is the same for females, all cars and equipment are regulated by
the NHRA commission and have nothing to do with gender. The announcers react to the female
drivers in a number of ways, the announcers don't tend to state a drivers gender is a female when she
is positioning her car at the starting line rather they let the females name speak for the driver and
even more so when name–dropping professional female drivers such as Brittany Force and Courtney
Force (both daughters of NHRA legend John Force, who still races today!). Although the
announcers don't typically state genders when introducing the female racers who are on deck, they
do often mention how incredibly brave the female drivers are for choosing to pilot these insane cars
as a job. The information given for the female drivers is often age, hometown, team sponsor and
how many seasons or races the female has competed in for the specific class of car or team who
works on their race cars. The announcers also do not hesitate telling the viewer when one of the few
female drivers have a tendency to work on their cars with their pit crew rather than have their team
worry about all mechanical tasks. The media's view of a female focused or presence in NHRA does
not consist of black and white views regarding the positive and negative views of an opposite gender
in the sport. The

Prince Of A Town Called Bel Air
Prince of a Town Called Bel–Air
"Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down, and I'd like to take a
minute, just sit right here, I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel–Air" (Smith).
Many 90s kids memorized this opening to the hit television show "The Fresh Prince of Bel–Air".
Sometimes you can't help but rap the words and visualize Will Smith spinning in front of a graffiti
background. Will Smith stars in the show as a fictionalized version of himself. The theme song sets
the premise for the entire show. Smith was a street–smart, African American teenager born in West
Philadelphia. However, while playing basketball, he got in a confrontation with a group of men.
This frightened his mother, who sent him to Bel–Air to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle. Smith
grew up in a working–class environment and is now exposed to an upper class world. This is a
theme around which many of the show's plots revolve. The effect of the lyrics to this theme song
goes beyond pure entertainment value. Smith is hyper–aware that he is combatting the prevalent
television representation, at the time, of young black males as thugs. Through this 90s comical
theme song, Smith, who was born and raised in West Philadelphia himself, confirms the stereotype
of the urban, black, young thug and complicates that stereotype by depicting himself as nothing like
that.
As an appeal to ethos, Smith is initially portrayed as a person with good sense, good moral

James Digiacomo's Stereotypes And Filters
James DiGiacomo is an actor and stand up comedian. He is on the show "Kevin Can Wait", "KC
undercover",and in several commercials, but did you know that he's only 11! He is hilarious and
when you get to know him, he is an ordinary kind–hearted kid. Does learning to remember your
lines help you do well on tests? He explained that you can definitely remember answers for a test or
quiz if you know your lines. He said it's like an " upgrade to his memory" I read online that you
support animal shelters, how do you help the shelters? He explained how all of the money from this
comedy shows goes to the shelters. His dad's friend started his own business, it's a foundation to
help animal shelters. Do you get to put in ideas for the commercials ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
He also traveled across the country to California for K.C. Undercover which he said he really
enjoyed. How do you get your education? When I asked James this question, he confirmed that it is
very hard for him to get education since acting is his main priority. Therefore James has a on–set
tutor on "Kevin Can Wait" so in–between scenes he studies with his tutor which is very shocking
and amazing for an 11 year old, which proves that he really is proactive, such a great kid! What is
your go to joke? James told us that his opening or go to joke is "...So my mom tells me that she has
gray hair and wrinkles,..that she's getting old. Then she says tell me something good about myself,
to make me feel better. So I say, well you have perfect eyesight." That joke cracked us up! James
tells us that the jokes persue he doesn't really mean. He loves his family and would never hurt them,
he only says that stuff for the purpose of comedy. If you were not a comedian or actor what else
would you aspire to be? James told us he loves video games. If he wasn't a comedian or actor he
would be a video game

Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Analysis
When i was in 5th grade, I woke up one morning really bored. So I was flipping through the
channels on TV, I saw the title "Fresh Prince of Bel–Air" so then I clicked on it right about when it
was about to start. Right when I heard the beat of the song I was amazed and I said, "Wow this song
is really really catchy". I went online to search the song and i just kept on listening to it and started
to watch the show more. Rapper and actor Will Smith made this song because he got hired to do a tv
show in 1990 called "The Fresh Prince of Bel–Air", which aired until May 20, 1996.
The audience is for all ages who wants to listen to a catchy and funny song a put people in a good
mood. The song tells the story of will smith character leading to the plot of the tv show. The tone of
the song is happy, goofy, funny, and really exciting. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Teaming up with his friend Dj Jazzy Jeff who helped him with many hits like parents just don't
understand and Summertime. And won the first grammy in a rap category. This poem begins really
exciting and very catchy making you want to sing along and listen to it again and again. The theme
song and opening sequence set the premise of the show. Will Smith is a street–smart teenager, born
and raised in West Philadelphia, who was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Bel Air, Los
Angeles after getting in a

Pursuit Of Happyness Themes
The movie "The Pursuit of Happyness", is about a movie based on the life of Chris Gardner, who
was a salesman with a strong commitment to his family. As Gardner struggles to get ahead, he faces
countless adversities and found strength in knowing that he is going through this to make a better
life for his son. Although Gardner and his son became homeless, he had a desire to have a better life.
He also managed to find moments to help shape and mode his son's education with teachable
moments.
People handle diversity in several different ways. I found similarities in the way Gardner handled
his troubled life with his five–year–old son. Gardner found himself homeless a few times throughout
the movie. The first time was the hardest seeing that he did not see it truly coming. He was staying
at a motel dodging the manager until the manager sat his belongings outside the door and changed
the locks. As he stood, there is disbelief, dumb founded as to what to do. He pulled it together to
take his son to a nearby subway station. While ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When Gardner would walk his son to daycare, he would take the opportunity for even the smallest
teachable moment. He pointed out the word happiness was misspelled on his daycare walk. With
concerns his son was in the only daycare he could afford was only teaching him how to watch TV
shows that the owner deemed to tell the history of our country. Likewise, I needed to put my son in a
daycare that I knew was not where I wanted him to be, but it was the only place I could afford at the
time. This daycare was over crowded leaving the children unattended to do whatever they wanted.
Parents try their hardest to make sure their child is safe, but when you are faced with having to work
to make an ends meat and need a daycare for your child during working hours you do the best you

Essay on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Born a Prince, Left a King
Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down, and I'd like to take a
minute, just sit right there, I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel–air. These are
the opening lines to the intro song of the television comedy "The Fresh Prince of Bel–Air", that me
and every 90's kids with a TV has had memorized since the day we first heard it. Even as you read
that first sentence, you can't help but to rap the words, and hum the tune as you envision a young
Will Smith spinning on his royal chair with the graffiti background. The effect of the lyrics and the
music video to this intro song goes way beyond pure entertainment value. The music video and
lyrics spread happiness, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By making Will Smith appear like a typical, credible African American youth the appeal to the
viewers is strengthened.
However, the stereotypes are not the only example for ethos in the music video. Will's clothing and
vernacular make a good case for ethical appeal as well. Throughout the video Will is dressed in loud
bright colored clothing with various trendy accessories such as hats and sneakers. The clothing helps
Will to appeal to the younger viewers because it's something the viewers can identify with. Also
Will's upbeat tone and hipster lingo help his credibility of acting as an average young black male.
While ethos plays a large role in the appeal of the video, pathos plays a role equally as large. The
pathological appeal in the music video is present from start to finish. The video opens with a
background soundtrack of an upbeat rap tune. The tune is catchy and grabs the viewer's attention
immediately. Will Smith compliments the catchy beat by rapping an energetic rap. The rap itself
demands for viewers' attention because it appeals to their taste in music.
Whereas music is the main avenue of appeal in the video, there are other pathos elements present.
While Will is playing basketball, the ball accidently hits a nearby thug who takes offense and
physically confronts Will. The thug threatens and bullies Will until Will's mom gets so scared for
Will's well–being that she sends him to live his aunt and uncle in Bel–Air. Nearly every kid in

Bessie Smith: The Immress Of The Blues
Bessie smith was an American blues singer who was proudly nicknamed the empress of the blues.
Smith was one of the most popular female blue singer of the 1920's and 1930s, she was born April
15, 1894, in Chattanooga Tennessee and died in Clarksdale MS September 26, 1937. Smith grew up
with seven brothers when she was born her father died and she was left with her mother and siblings
to raise her, unfortunately, around 1906 her mother and two of her siblings perished and were raised
by their aunt for the rest of their childhood years. Approximately around this time smith would go
out on the streets accompanied by one of her younger brothers and sing in the streets for money.
They made money this way and it brought food to the table. In 1912 Bessie smith began in the
Moses Stokes minstrel show as a dancer and soon after in the rabbit foot minstrels along with
famous singer Ma Rainey. Ma Rainey took Bessie under her ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
It was that exact year that she was discovered by an individual from Columbia records and signed a
contract with them allowing her to make her first recording songs. One of the most popular songs on
her tack was "Downhearted Blues" which was extremely popular and was an insane high demand. It
was estimated that 800,000 copies were sold allowing smith to be shown in the blues spotlight. Her
talent and compelling voice gave her the strength and ambition to go forth in her career and become
a successful recording artist. As a result, she toured extensively and due to the constant traveling,
she decided to buy a custom railroad car for her and her traveling troupe. There was segregation
while Bessie smith was starting to perform, black individuals had to go to certain theaters and had to
sleep in designated habitats. This bothered Bessie smith so she bought her car where the whole
troupe would eat, sleep, cook, and just relax after a long stressful

What Is Chris Personal Finance
The Pursuit of Happyness is a movie that follows a man and his son through hard times and
sacrifices they had to make. Personal Finance is a big factor in this movie. Chris, which who is the
protagonist had to work day and night to make sure he could provide for his son. When identifying
components and sources of income Chris struggle to get a good income. Some examples of what he
did were he sold bone density scanners. The bone density scanners were very hard for him to sell
because most doctors didn't think they need it, but Chris thought it was something very
revolutionary. Chris also had to sell his plasma to get extra money, because one of the of the lights
on the bone density scanners broke.Another example is when Chris's girlfriend lived with him she
had a job, and she took extra hours to make sure her son had a food in his mouth. Analyzing how
career choice, education, skills, and economic conditions affect income and goal attainment. When
Chris got the bone density scanner he put his whole life savings in it. This was a career choice he
picked. Also with Chris he didn't go on to higher education even though he is really smart, doing
that he missed out on getting more education, but ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the movie Pursuit of Happyness Chris personal financial resources majorly affect the choices he
made, like when he had to have him and his son Christoper sleep in a bus station because of the lack
of funds. Chris also chooses what bills to pay. Since he didn't have a lot of money, he had to make
sure him and his son had the basic needs without paying his bills or paying a little at a time. He had
to have great time management because he had to drop Christoper off at daycare, then go to the
internship, while there he had to sell as many investments as he could, after that he had to get
Christoper and made sure they made it on the bus on

Monlogue of Sheila Birling Essay
Monologue from Sheila Birling
I feel extremely responsible for the horrid tragedy of what had happened to that young lady. On the
other hand at the time it took place I was in a furious temper; I had tried on this dress, and well.... it
just didn't suit me at all! Then the girl– had tried on the dress as if she was wearing it. And it just
suited her. She was the right type for it. She was very pretty too– with big dark eyes. I caught sight
of the girl smiling at Miss Francis– as if to say, "doesn't she look awful"– and I was absolutely
furious. That is when it all happened. I lost all sense of what was right and let anger and jealousy fill
me up to the direst cruelty. I said without second thought of consideration to the manager, "this ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I remember what he said, how he looked and what he made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish.
And it frightens me, the way they talk– as if nothing has happened. Even if there is no girl in the
infirmary, who has committed suicide by drinking a strong disinfectant, isn't what we did still
wrong?
It doesn't much matter who made us confess– and it was true, wasn't it? Farther turned the girl out of
one job, I had her turned out of another. Gerald kept her– at a time when he was too busy to see me.
Eric used her for a stupid drunken evening as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person. And
mother hardened her heart and gave her the final push that finished her– that's what's important– and
not weather a man is a police inspector or not. Well Eric and I have learnt a promising lesson that
there are millions of John Smiths and Eva Smiths in the world. I shall never do something so
careless and selfish again, and I pray that my parents and Gerald come to the same realisation soon,
as I have done... before it's too late.
Whether or not it was me alone, or the fault of all of us. This streak of guilt shall saturate my soul
for life, knowing that my selfish irresponsible actions played a vital part of the beginning of the end
of this venerable, innocent young lady, Eva Smith. Yet I can't help feeling my actions was what
caused her to become so desperate– that summer last year. It all is becoming clear now. It was my
fault! Last summer from March all the way to September,

I Am Legend Film Analysis Essay
Jessica Wang
English 106
10 April 2008
Robert Neville is the last normal living man in the world. The all of New York City is in ruins. How
long can Robert Neville survive alone with his dog in a world of vampires and how long do you
think you can live in this case?
The film, I Am Legend is a post–apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Francis Lawrence and
starring Will Smith. It was released on December 14th, 2007. This film is actually the third
adaptation of Richard Matheson's novel of the same name from 1954. Smith plays virologist Robert
Neville, who lives in New York City in 2012, which is inhabited by animalistic victims of the virus.
He is immune to a vicious man–made virus originally created to cure cancer and works to ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It tells us that technology sometimes is dangerous and vital if we cannot gain power over it. Later in
the movie, Dr. Neville takes Anna to the lab, Anna is amazed to see the zombies lying on the bed,
and simply sighed" Oh my god", Dr. Neville just said calmly "God didn't do this; we did". Again,
Dr. Neville uncovered the truth that all the faults actually are made by ourselves though new
technology does help us in some cases. However, human begins should be responsible for what they
have done to the whole world in the near future, meanwhile, it also teaches us a lesson that never
rush to create new technology at the cost of the whole world and all the living things in the world.
There is an alternate ending which is totally different from the original one we have seen in the
movie, which amazed me a lot. In the original one, it is a pity that Dr. Neville died in the end with
the self–explored; according to many reviews, the majority of the audiences do not like this ending.
The alternate ending is that Robert finally brushes up against a zombie next to him and comes in
contact with him; he never gets that close to any of them in the movie and seeing that gives me a
chill. In this ending, it leaves me the normal human feelings, which makes Dr. Neville more like a
legend. However, the original one is

Bessie Smith Essay
Bessie Smith
Known as the "Empress Of Blues", Bessie Smith was said to have revolutionized the vocal end of
Blues Music. She showed a lot of pride as an independent African–American woman. Her style in
performance and lyrics often reflected her lifestyle. Bessie Smith was one of the first female jazz
artists, and she paved the way for many musicians who followed.
Bessie was born April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee to a part time Baptist preacher, William
Smith, and his wife Laura. The family was large and poor. Soon after she was born her father died.
Laura lived until Bessie was only nine years old. The remaining children had to learn to take care of
themselves. Her sister Viola then raised her. But it was her oldest brother, ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Finally, Columbia Records' Frank Walter signed Smith to a recording contract and set her up in a
studio on February 15, 1923. Although there is nothing that survives from her very first recording
date, the following date she recorded "Gulf Coast Blues" and "Down Hearted Blues". The record
sold more than 750,000 copies that year, making her a blues star. She then married Jack McGee in
June 1923.
In the mid–twenties she toured the entire south and most of the major northern cities, always as the
star attraction on the bill. Smith recorded with a number of noted musicians. These included pianists
Fletcher Henderson and James P. Johnson, cornetist Louie Armstrong, saxophonists Coleman
Hawkins and Don Redman, and clarinetist Buster Bailey. Many of her earlier songs featured only a
piano accompaniment, which allowed sole focus on Smith's vocals. Yet the songs cut with
Armstrong featured the two most prominent black recording artists of the 1920s. They worked off
each other's talents and sang too the blues backdrops while keeping the southern roots. In 1929
Smith recorded the haunting "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", a tune blues
historian William Barlow called Smith's "...personal epitaph and a depression era classic." She was
the highest paid black entertainer and completely booked at $1500 a week. Her more than 150
recordings that followed, some of which sold 100,000 copies in a week, propelled her to fame and
immortality (Sanders). Alberta Hunter

Bessie Smith Essay
In Bessie Smith's piece "Young Woman Blues", underlies a black feminist declaration of empowered
femininity and proud black sexuality. In that respect, she follows along in the tradition of other black
female musicians like Ma Rainey and Nella Laursen in challenging the status quo through their own
music. As such, Carby is right in her analysis of Bessie Smith and other black female musicians in
asserting their femininity whereas Chapman is limited in analyzing the perception of these
musicians and not the actual music itself. Through Smith's performance of the song underscores the
vulnerability and by extension the strength that her and other black females possess to deal with the
dual prejudices of racism and sexism. As such, the performance is liberating in terms of its
challenging of racism through black pride, challenging of sexism through female sensuality, and
advocating of personal independence. In the piece itself, Bessie Smith fundamentally critiques the
racialized ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She accounts for the likes of Ma Rainey who had songs along the likes of " Oh Papa Blues", "
Titanic Man Blues", and " Black Eye Blues" that challenged male cheating with female strength and
fury (Carby 17). Granted, Chapman would argue such songs would pale to the positioning of female
musicians in the race–sex marketplace with the likes of Ethel Waters (Chapman 80). Yet again, this
should discount any of what Bessie Smith is fighting for within the song itself. The reasoning being
is that for music of hers to be liberating, it is to first be liberating in a personal level. The limitations
that are there for blues music in the grand sense are apparent as Chapman notes with the
objectification of black women's bodies. Though, Bessie Smith is not seen in a sexualized fashion in
her song and the sensuality that is there is comes from her own

Comparison Of Bessie Smith And Clara Smith's Far Away Blues
For someone to have everything taken away from them and for absolutely no reason is what Bessie
Smith and Clara Smith talks about in their poem, "Far Away Blues." Imagine appearance and
ethnicity being the reasons why one gets criticized, insulted and treated badly in their own country.
This poem talks about a very prominent theme that was present in African American artistic
tradition which is Migration. Migration became something that one would believe would be in
benefit for them, whether it is true or not, having to leave their home was one way to hope that
freedom or even somewhat of a better life was possible. Leaving a place that one calls home for
their entire life, no matter the circumstance they were in isn't a position one should ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Friends," doesn't mean everyone happily getting along and playing in their homes in the South. The
South is considered to be a beautiful place therefore one would imagine, "lots of friends" as a
positive thing. Where everyone would be genuinely happy together, making the most of the beauty
that is the South. But sadly, it means fellow slaves who all are friends due to the situation they were
put in. Becoming friends was the only way to make their situation a tad easier to face. It symbolizes
the amount of slaves in the same situation. There were dozens of slaves not being able to stay where
the want and face situations they did not want to be in. They did not have money to pay for
anything, all their hard work, would not do them any good, other than bring discomfort and pain to

Bessie Smith Biography
On October 29, 1929, later to be known as the notorious "Black Tuesday," the stock market crashed,
and the United States was thrust into the Great Depression. Companies became bankrupt one after
another, resulting in more and more Americans being laid off. Soon, it became a common sight to
see large crowds of homeless people waiting outside of soup kitchens and bread lines, no matter
what city or town you were in. It was during this dark period of despair and misery that Bessie
Smith, the "Empress of the Blues," recorded one of her most well–known and loved songs, "Nobody
Knows You When You're Down and Out." Bessie Smith's song reflected the hearts and minds of
millions of Americans during that somber period. Smith sings "Nobody knows you/ ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Their success allowed them to spend money freely on things like "bootleg whiskey, champagne and
wine." Sadly, this did not last long for either person for once again they were back at the bottom,
wishing that they were back at the top.
With the peoples' changing taste in music and Smith's alcoholic tendencies, it seemed unlikely that
her career would ever pick back up, but near the end of the 1930s, her career was on the rise with
her recording and performing again. Unfortunately, Smith did not get to enjoy her comeback. On
September 26, 1937, she was killed in a car accident. She hit her old Packard with a parked truck
near Coahoma, Mississippi, between Clarksdale and Memphis and injured herself so severely that
one of her arms was nearly severed off her body. Since there was no record of her exact birth date, it
was estimated that she was about 43 years old when she died (History.com Staff "Blues

Summary Of The Film Irobot
Underneath the sound effects, costumes and out–of–world context, films of science fiction
frequently contain hypothetical implications that mimic modern society in the way that artificial and
biological life communicate. The film IRobot (2004) directed by Alex Proyas, leads readers through
the year 2035 where humans and robots life side by side, until detective Del Spooner discovers a
conspiracy that may enslave the human race. IRobot comments on the notion that, "Art Imitates
Life" by using film codes, such as camera shots and colour to identify the importance of the
unification of artificial and biological intelligence, and that humankind's quest to evolve can lead to
a lack of individuality. Symbolic and audio codes reveal that technological and human power can be
a corrupting force in both the fictional world and modern society. IRobot encourages viewers to take
the messages about technological danger and look at our own current society to question these
controversial issues. Humans have always been ambitious, willing to create the new and impossible,
yet this has caused humankind itself to lose the spark that is their own individuality. Through
symbolic and audio codes, IRobot portrays the signification of independence and the blurred identity
of our present time. IRobot displays the exaggerated lack of character that is making society to
become followers rather than leaders. At the orientation of the film, viewers see a long shot of Del
Spooner walking through the

Women And The Role Of Women In The 1920's
Women of The 1920s
During the first World War I women were left at home to try and figure out how they were going to
care for their families. Their husband, father, and brothers were sent off to war. Many companies
around the United States were left with production needs and little to no employees to do the job. In
a time period, where women are expected to be confident and independent, they had to also realize
they had little to no power in society. They had societal rules that they must stay at home to cook,
clean, and care for the children. With the men who were prominent in their lives coming and going
from war. These factors caused the birth of a new era. This is the era where women were emerging.
Women were changing by being more independent sexually and expressing their emotions through
music, poetry, and movies.
One important theme of the women of the 1920's that connects various aspects of the women is their
sexuality. The women before those who became empowered in the 1920's would never open up
about their sexuality. The women prior to the 1920's had an image of modesty and were viewed to
be married to only one man. In 1920, the women began to express their sexual desires freely.
Singers like Bessie Smith could paint a picture and bring anything to life with just her voice. One
example by Bessie Smith "I'm Wild About That Thing". In this song, Bessie Smith sings of how she
loves her man and how happy he makes her. In her lyrics she says "Do it easy honey don't get

The New World
October 16, 1996: As soon as the door opened, we got to the radiation suits. As my dad and I saw
the new world, he was amazed at how the incident had changed everything, he was saying in
disbelief," I can't believe this! Everything gone... our old house... our neighbors. Son let 's go down
to your mother and brothers, and tell them what we have seen in this giant wasteland.
" As we headed down the hatch, he said," Get ready for work tomorrow, we have a lot to do." Like
what," I asked. "We have to start building houses," he responded. "Why so soon, it's not like anyone
is left, right?" I questioned. He then answered, "One of our neighbors had a shelter built, but I'm not
sure if he made it." We then went down the hatch, through the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
I couldn't respond with detailed answers, but giant wasteland, and I told him about everything I
remembered from the past. For dinner we had baked fish and fries. My dad and I we bombarded
with questions from my mother and brothers.
After dinner dad and I went into the living room and discussed what we were going to start with
tomorrow.
"Initially we're going to wake up at 6 then we're going to see if the Smiths made it through the
incident. Next we 're going to start building houses. After that there will be normal chores." "Got it
Dad," I say in disbelief.
October 17, 1996: When I got up today I ate breakfast and did my morning chores, when dad comes
down with Mr. Smith, I was surprised when I saw him, I have seen since I was 6 before this whole
thing ever happened.
Dad complained, "Since you didn't get up at 5am like we planned, I just went through with the plan
of looking for The Smiths." "But I thought we decided to get up at 7," I questioned. "Nope we
decided on 6," he responds. "Joel, Grant, come here please," my dad requested. "Yes dad?" they said
at the same time. But then Joel asked Mr. Smith," Who are you?" Mr. Smith responds surprised, "I'm
Mr. Smith, your parents' and brother's old neighbor." Mom my came in the room more surprised
than she looked when the alarm was set off. "Jon how are you doing," my mother asked super
surprised. "I'm

Concussion Movie Analysis
Movie Review Concussion, the biographical sports drama, is a movie directed by Peter Landesman.
It is based on a true story of a Nigerian doctor named Dr. Bennet Omalu who is played by Will
Smith. Finding his way into America as a surgeon, he encountered and diagnosed a former American
Football player after their death. Dr. Bennet has to faced against a billion dollar organization, the
national Football League, in order to justify his researches and enforce it to be publicity.The movie
shows hardship and unfairness of the football company to Dr. Bennet Omalu. This movie have three
particular points that audience should consider and notice. Director, Peter Landesman, was able to
created the movie in a realistic and reliable way to the scenes. Though the movie was realistic,
certain parts of the movie was out of context and confusing. Especially the actor expressions and
feelings toward each other, they did not successfully execute properly to make it believable. It is an
amazing and educated two hours movie, yet it felt as if there are missing scenes in the movie.
The actor as Dr. Bennet is the famous actor Will Smith, and he have been a major star in many
filming companies, and shown many great performance in his acting. Will Smith was able to
convince in his role as Dr. Bennet by his skills as an actor, his belief in science, and submission
against a corrupt and refusal association.Will Smith, as Dr. Bennet, successfully created a great
impact in the movie by his

A Night with Alberta Essay
A Night with Alberta
On a cold winter Saturday night, a wind whips across Washington Square into the canyons of
Manhattan. Near New York University's main dormitory is a small jazz club. The large tinted front
windows at street level and the subdued lighting might make a visitor think of an abandoned
storefront. However, this small place is where magic can happen. The Cookery is a portal between
the present and the past.
Entering the club, the host finds my new wife and me a seat. This is both polite and practical for the
fresh snow renders the newest patrons blind at first. Once seated at the postage stamped sized tables,
the eyes begin to adjust. The cold weather and the premium for space has made it very cramped. Fur
coats, down ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We quickly pour the beers into the glasses and return the bottles to the waitress to save space. I
begin to wonder about the menu I noticed upon entering. This table no bigger than my chair could
never support the space required for a meal for one.
Suddenly the piano and bass start playing in the stage area. This catches most of the audience by
surprise, as conversations abruptly curtail. They play their warm up pieces with a joy and lightness
that comes only from familiarity. Once these tunes finish and all of the obligatory drinks are paid
for, the owner of the club begins his introduction of tonight's entertainment.
I strain in my seat to see the owner, but to no avail. He tells us the story of this singer's life. In the
Thirties, she was the toast of Europe and she sang opposite Paul Robeson in the London production
of "Show Boat." In the Fifties, she left the limelight to become a nurse. The death of her mother
made her to want to return something to society. This is a story I already know, for she is why I am
here. My eyes wander around the room as I wonder if no one here tonight knows this story. My
roaming eyes catch something in the back of the room. An old black woman slowly ascends some
stairs back here into the room, her body grudgingly complying with her wishes to climb the stairs.
When the owner announces her name, she taps her hips and strides the last two steps up the stairs
and onto the stage. Decades of age

Lack Of Emotions Revealed In The Film I, Robot
The movie I, Robot follows a cop in the year 2035 that is investigating a crime at U.S. Robots and
Mechanical Men or USR Dr. Alfred Lanning was murdered but it wasn't a typical murder. The cop is
played by Will Smith and his character is named Del Spooner. There seems to be something odd
even in the beginning of the film almost a lack of trust. Detective Del Spooner is later to be revealed
as being paranoid by everyone around him. The problem is that he feels alone in his prejudice
towards technology, particular robots. There are tons of paranoia in our current society that runs
along the same lines. The films effect on me showed me how too much reliance on technology can
be bad. The solution on the overreliance of technology dwells within ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The solution on the overreliance of technology dwells within our humanity. Will Smith's character
states to Sonny, "You are just a machine. An imitation of life. Can a robot write a symphony? Can a
robot turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece?", and Sonny acknowledges this (Mark & Davis,
2004). Our current culture seems to be making robots more human and humans more robotic. Asimo
made by Honda displays some amazing feats such as running, walking up stairs and playing the
violin (Honda, 2016). There seems to be a battle between our humanity and intellect. For example,
the internet or a robot could have them programed into them has the text of Shakespeare. Watson
was created by IBM and can find information will super algorithms
(IBM, 2016). This is amazing technology but humanity is simplified by being belittled into a role of
memorization. The arts are what make us who we are and our technology is an art form. They are
our dreams come to

Bessie Smith: Empress Of The Blues
It is said that Bessie Smith is the "Empress of the Blues." She was a superior entertainer, with talent
in singing and dancing. Bessie had such a beautiful, soulful voice and she collaborated with many
great jazz performers. Bessie didn't just stand for music, she stood for women. By the end of the
1920's, she was the highest paid black woman of her day, earning the title "Empress of the Blues."
Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 15, 1894, she was one of seven children,
and her father died soon after her birth, leaving her mother to take care of her and her siblings. In
1906 her mother and two of her brothers passed away and Bessie and her other siblings were taken
care of by their aunt. It was after this that Smith began ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Woke up this mornin' when chickens was crowin for day, Felt on the right side of my pilla', my
man had gone away, By this pilla' he left a note readin', I'm sorry, Jane, you got my goat No time to
marry No time to settle down." This must come somewhere from within her mind having to do with
her marriages that failed and left her with nothing. Jack Gee would sometimes steal money from
Smith, and after her death he refused to pay for a headstone for her. Even when some people tried to
have a fundraiser to get a proper headstone for Bessie, Gee took the money and

Bessie Smith Lost Your Head Blues
The Blues Genre has been out since the late 19th century. However, the blues genre started to
establish awareness around the 1920's. Bessie Smith was one major influencer of the blues genre.
The blues common themes were related to poverty, death, cruelty, misfortune, and unfaithfulness. In
Bessie Smith's case, her song Lost your Head Blues, is about a woman who was in love with a man
who was initially broke. In the lyrics, it later discusses how the man gains wealth and started to
think differently about his woman. As the song progresses further, the lyrics mention that the lady
will leave him without telling him "goodbye". The lady finally leaves the man and mentions that she
will write a letter explaining the reason why she left him. To conclude, the song discusses how days
and nights become long and lonely for her. However, the lady will admit that she is a good woman
and refuses to be treated poorly. This song was popular at the time and has given Bessie Smith a lot
of fame. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Typically, songs in the blues genre portray a lot of these themes within the lyrics and the tonality of
the music. The tone colors of Bessie Smith's piece are her voice and the horn in the background.
This piece utilizes the 12–Bar blues structure as well as bent pitches. Bessie Smith also repeats
certain phrases as a way to emphasize the lyrics. It also leaves a memorable thought for the
audience. The format of this piece is in AAB form. This can be noticed by the repetitive lyrics and
repeated sections of music itself. The overall piece, is a great example of the blues

Bessie Smith Research Paper
On April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a baby girl named Elizabeth Smith was born. Her
house was full, as she was one of seven children and a daughter to a Baptist minister. At age nine,
Elizabeth lost her mother and one of her brothers. To make ends meet, she and her brother, Andrew,
began to perform on the streets: She sang and danced and he played the guitar. As she grew older,
Elizabeth went by the nickname 'Bessie.' In 1904, Bessie's oldest brother, Clarence, left home and
joined a travelling band created by Moses Stokes. "If Bessie had been old enough, she would have
gone with him," said Clarence's widow, Maud. "That's why he left without telling her, but Clarence
told me she was ready, even then. Of course, she was only a child (Albertson 11)." Clarence got
Bessie an interview the managers of his band and Bessie got hired. However, she was hired as a
dancer, not a singer. It was not because Bessie wasn't talented, but because they already had a well–
known singer by the name of Ma Rainey. Through this, the two became friends, but Rainey did not
tutor Smith like many sources say (Bio.com). Bessie eventually went on to become the biggest star
at the shows. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Her first release "Downhearted Blues" was a huge success, and is known as her most popular song.
With all of her success, Bessie was given the nickname "Empress of the Blues" and was Columbia's
saving grace from bankruptcy two times(Bio.com.) By the end of the 1920's, Bessie's career was at
an all time high. She was the highest paid Black female singer of her time, and one of the few black
artists to perform for white audiences. She was the first black woman to be broadcast live on local
radio stations in Memphis and Atlanta(American History.com). She also collaborated with notable
artists such as Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Joe
Smith, and Charlie

The Pursuit Of Happiness Character Analysis
The Struggle life of Chris Gardner The film "The Pursuit of Happiness," rated PG–13 is based on
real history where Chris Gardner (Will Smith) invests all his savings in medical scanners that he
wants to sell to doctors and hospitals, but they are too expensive that doctors and hospitals consider
them unnecessary. Garden is financially unstable, causing his wife Linda (Thandie Newton) to leave
Gardner and their son Christopher (Jaden Smith) to work in New York. Gardner knows Jay Twistle
(Brian Howe) who works in the company Gardner would like to work with. Twistle sets up an
interview for Gardner. While Gardner is working with the company's internship program called
Powerful Stock Brokerage Firm, which is an unpaid job, it leads Gardner to financial problems
which in turn, causes him and his son to be homeless. With all that stress from working hard, being
homeless, and having his son to take care of, Gardner pushes through it – landing a job in the
company where eventually he became very wealthy. "The pursuit of Happiness" offers hope to
viewers to follow their dreams and not give up, no matter what situations they are going through.
Throughout the film, Gardner portrays hope to keep going in order to show his son that anything is
possible. According to Belinda Elliott from CBN in her review, she states "the movie is not a feel–
good picture that will leave you with the warm fuzziest" because according to her "we never get to
see much of the joy that comes from Gardner's

The Blues, By Bessie Smith And Billie Holliday
Music is such a beautiful creation, the way the melody, rhythm, tempo, all mix together to become a
masterpiece. One specific genre of music, the blues, was heavily popular in the early 20th century.
The blues is a tradition–oriented music style from the rural Southern African–American origin
("Jazz in America", n.d. ). It usually had secular content, which is disparate from how it was when it
first began. Blues music originated in plantations, where slaves sung, using it as a mental escape
method from their oppression. Even though it started off in a simple way, it eventually turned into a
serious entertainment. Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday, two well–known blues female singers,
became hit sensations. Blues started in the South, long ago, when slavery was still socially accepted.
Slaves were severely oppressed because they were legally bound to their masters. One way they
found emotional freedom was to sing songs, which were called "slave songs." "It Makes a Long
Time Man Feel Bad", "Hammer, Ring", "Cornfield Holler", were just a few of the popular slave
songs ("Slavery and the Making of America", 2004). Slave songs were in various forms such as field
hollers, work songs, spirituals, and country string ballads ("The Blues– A History", 2003). As time
passed, these types of songs were starting to become known as the blues. After slavery ended in
1865, blues was not only still present, but became more evident. In the beginning of the 20th
century, blues music was on the

Bessie Smith Thesis
It is time, at last, to speak the truth about the legendary blues singer. Truth is this particular jazz and
blues vocalist, Bessie Smith had a soulful voice that gained her countless fans and earned her the
title "Empress of the Blues". Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee to her parents
William and Laura Smith. Although we are not certain on Bessie Smith's exact birth date we are lead
to believe she was born on April 15, 1894 or July 1892. Shortly after Bessie's birth her father, a
Baptist Preacher, died leaving behind his wife and seven children. Later Bessie's mother and two
brothers had died which put her in the care of her aunt along with her other siblings. During this
time is when Smith began to sing, she started as a street ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rainey was a member in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels show, Rainey took Smith under her care and
guided her into what she had become know as to all of those familiar with the blues. By the year of
1923 was discovered by Columbia Records, a contract was signed to make it official and shortly
after they made her first song recordings. "Downhearted Blues," only one of Smith's most famous
hits, sold an estimate of eight hundred thousand copies putting Smith into the blues spotlight. Smith
once said, " I've been poor and I've been rich, and rich is better.", it was no doubt Smith would
became a successful recording artist. She toured broadly amongst many places, with an presented
idea from her brother Smith bought a custom railroad car strictly for her traveling troop to travel and
sleep in comfortably. In Smith's singing career she worked on Jazz as well as blues, she worked with
Sidney Bechet who was a saxophonist and pianists Fletcher Henderson and James P. Johnson. When
working with Johnson she recorded one of her most prominent songs, "Backwater Blues". After
working with many artists Smith became one of the highest–paid black performer of her era, this is
what earned her the title "Empress of the

Analysis Of The Play ' After Seeing Mary Stuart '
I was really looking forward to watching this play after seeing Mary Stuart. I came into the play
only knowing that the play was about couples. I liked coming into to the play not really knowing
what to expect from the storyline. I thought that the play was going to be about the couples
interacting more with one another as opposed to interacting in the individual couples. Since the play
is named cul–de–sac I assumed that there would be more interaction from the "cul–de–sac" all–
together other than the few awkward encounters. I think I thought that the play was missing a
climax. I am not sure when the climax or the height of the play was reached. I think that the lack of
a climax comes from the vagueness of the character objectives. I ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Johnson character could have been looking for happiness in his job, in his own personal life, or in
his marriage. However, the only true happiness seeking action we see him do is chase his wife
around the kitchen. I also thought there was a lot going on in the play at that at times it was hard to
follow. I felt that there was just a lot going on and a lot of inferences that had to be made, which
took away from the actors. I also did not like how it seemed that the scenes with the couples were
supposed to be happening simultaneously and it seemed like the day was starting over every time a
new couple would take the stage. I wish there was a more fluid way those scenes could have been
run where you could see the Joneses dancing while the Smith's were taking the breaks in between
the argument. When the Johnson's switched to the stage, I originally thought that it was a new day
because at the end of the smith scene they were ordering dinner and the lights seemed dim. It wasn't
until Mr. Smith made the comment about making the salmon until I realized it was still that same
day, just being shown from a different house. Again I wish there was a way the audience could have
at least seen a small portion of the two couples simultaneously just to give the audience an idea of
the time frame. Also I felt like half the time I didn't really know what was going on or that I missed
something. For example when Mrs. Johnson was so appalled that Mr. Johnson had gotten out of bed

Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith: Two Legendary Classical Blues...
The blues emerged as a distinct African–American musical form in the early twentieth century. It
typically employed a twelve–bar framework and three–lined stanzas; its roots are based in early
African–American songs, such as field hollers and work songs, and generally have a melancholy
mood. The blues can be divided into many sub–genres, including Classical, Country, and Urban.
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the careers of two of Classical blues most influential and
legendary singers: Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. Ma Rainey, considered by many to be the "Mother
of the Blues," was one of the first pioneers of the classical blues style. She sang with a deep, rich,
and quite often rough contralto voice while the voices of her ... Show more content on
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Her first records include "Bo Weavil Blues" and "Moonshine Blues." By 1928, however, Paramount
records canceled her contract, and she recorded her last record. She officially retired from singing in
1935 and began to earn a living by the operating a couple theaters.
In 1990 she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and, in 1992, into the Georgia Music Hall of
Fame.
Like her mentor, Bessie Smith was a popular Classical blues singer, but her music was far more
widespread than Rainey's. While Rainey's music was appealed to the South, Smith's music was
prized in both the North and South, thus earning her the title of "Empress of the Blues." She was a
violent, ill–tempered woman who sang with a deep, raspy voice and, though her recording career
was brief, it was extremely prolific. Bessie Smith was born around 1894 in Chattanooga, Tennessee
to a poverty stricken family. First orphaned at a young age then adopted by relatives, she took to
singing on the streets as a way to make extra money. At nine years old, she made her first
appearance on stage at the Ivory Theater.3 By her late teens, she was performing in Moses Stokes's
traveling minstrel show; later, in 1912, she joined the famous Rabbit Foot Minstrels. It was here that
she met Ma Rainey, who took Smith under her wing and became her

Why Is Ma Rainey Important
Gertrude "Ma" Rainey is a pivotal figure in the history of American music. She was the first person
to ever perform blues and the first internationally known African American female blues singer. Her
music acted as inspiration for many distinguished figures during the Harlem Renaissance, and
continues to influence contemporary music and art.
A single source of blues music cannot be traced, but Ma Rainey is rightfully credited with
introducing it to the world. Hence the reason she was dubbed as "The Mother of the Blues". During
an interview in the 1930s, Ma told musicologist John Work, that she heard what would be called
blues, for the first time around 1902. She was in a small town in Missouri working a show at the
time, and one morning a local girl came into the tent singing about a man whom had left her. This
new style of soulful music drew in Ma Rainey so much she later had the girl teach her the song.
Rainey performed the song as an encore in a show soon after, earning a special place in the show,
and marking the start of her career (Jas Obrecht Archive).
Gertrude Pridgett was born in 1986 to tent performers Thomas Pridgett Sr. and Ella–Allen Pridgett.
Both were said to had traveled around the south performing minstrel shows, which was the most
popular form of live comedy entertainment from 1840 to the early nineteenth century
(Biography.com). Because of her parents involvement, Gertrude had always been surrounded by
show business and always had a love for singing and

Bessie Smith In The 1929 Film St. Louis Blues

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Bessie Smith In The 1929 Film St. Louis Blues