I was born out of wedlock. Nobody brought me up.

After years in white theaters I dreaded working in colored houses. The noise, the stomping, whistling, and cheering that hadn't annoyed me when I was young was now something I dreaded.

When I first went on the stage I was 17 and under the legal age for performers.

I don't care to dress up except when it is necessary or good for my business.

What broke Mom's heart was realizing that her children knew nothing and cared nothing about the better side of life.

It has been an ache and a joy both to look over this big shoulder of mine at all my yesterdays.

I could depend a lot on my shaking, though I never shimmied vulgarly and only to express myself.