Stormé DeLarverie

Stormé DeLarverie was a renowned Jazz singer, Actor, and LGBTQ+ rights Activist who played a pivotal role in the Stonewall riots of 1969, which sparked the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States. DeLarverie's life was marked by her involvement with notable figures such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Billie Holiday. Her activism was influenced by her experiences with Racism and Homophobia in New York City, particularly in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, where she often performed at the Village Vanguard and Blue Note Jazz Club.

● Early Life

Stormé DeLarverie was born on December 24, 1920, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a African American mother and a European American father. She began her career as a Jazz singer, performing with Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington at the Cotton Club in Harlem. DeLarverie's early life was also influenced by her experiences with The Harlem Renaissance, which exposed her to the works of Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Duke Ellington. She later moved to New York City, where she became a regular performer at the Apollo Theater and Carnegie Hall, alongside other notable artists such as Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

● Career

DeLarverie's career as a Jazz singer and Actor spanned several decades, during which she performed with notable musicians such as Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Thelonious Monk. She also appeared in several Off-Broadway productions, including The Black Crook and Shuffle Along, which were produced by George C. Wolfe and Spike Lee. DeLarverie's performances were often held at iconic venues such as the Village Vanguard, Blue Note Jazz Club, and Birdland, where she shared the stage with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Charlie Parker. Her career was also marked by her involvement with the American Negro Theater, which was founded by Abraham Hill and Frederick O'Neal.

● Activism

DeLarverie's activism was sparked by her experiences with Racism and Homophobia in New York City, particularly in the Greenwich Village neighborhood. She was a key figure in the Stonewall riots of 1969, which were a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a Police raid on the Stonewall Inn. DeLarverie's activism was influenced by her involvement with the Gay Liberation Front and the Daughters of Bilitis, which were founded by Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. She also worked closely with other notable activists, including Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, and Audre Lorde, to advance the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States.

● Personal Life

DeLarverie's personal life was marked by her relationships with notable figures such as Diana McCleary and Chelsea Girl. She was also a close friend of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, with whom she worked to advance the LGBTQ+ rights movement. DeLarverie's life was also influenced by her experiences with Mental health and Substance abuse, which she openly discussed in interviews with The New York Times and The Village Voice. Her personal life was also marked by her involvement with the LGBTQ+ community in New York City, particularly in the Greenwich Village neighborhood, where she often performed at the Stonewall Inn and The Duplex.

● Legacy

DeLarverie's legacy as a Jazz singer, Actor, and LGBTQ+ rights Activist continues to inspire new generations of artists and activists. She was posthumously inducted into the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor at the Stonewall National Monument in 2019, alongside other notable figures such as Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. DeLarverie's life and work have also been recognized by the New York City Council, which declared May 24 as Stormé DeLarverie Day in 2014. Her legacy continues to be celebrated through her music, which has been featured in films such as Paris is Burning and The Celluloid Closet, and through her activism, which has inspired notable figures such as Lady Gaga and Kehinde Wiley. Category:LGBTQ+ rights activists