Here is the biography of Ethel Moses:
Ethel Moses was a renowned performer in the 1920s and 1930s, becoming one of the most popular and beloved actresses in Black cinema. She was a Harlem star, known for her beauty, grace, and talent. Moses started her career as a chorine in popular Black Broadway shows, including "Shuffle Along," "Keep Shuffling," and "Showboat." She also entertained at Harlem's most popular nightclubs, such as the Cotton Club, Connie's Inn, and Ubangi Club.
Moses' dancing career took her to perform with Cab Calloway's band, and she appeared in several short films with him, including "Cab Calloway's Hi-De-Ho" and "Cab Calloway's Jitterbug Party." She later danced and traveled with Lucky Millander's band around the world, wowing audiences with her beauty and grace.
As an actress, Moses was part of American cinema, but unlike many Black actresses in Hollywood, she had the opportunity to play versatile roles and break away from stereotypes. She got her start in films with legendary filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, starring in films such as "Temptation," "Underworld," "God's Stepchildren," "Birthright," and "Policy Man."
Moses was billed as "The Black Jean Harlow" due to her resemblance to the white star, and her films were often successful and well-received. She was known for bringing warmth, sincerity, and charisma to the screen, and her characters were often portrayed as long-suffering good girls who always prevailed.
Moses' screen and stage image was sexy but innocent, mysterious, warm, and alluring. She never had to do much to receive attention, and her contributions to Harlem, Black Cinema, American Cinema, and Black history have not been overlooked. Despite facing some controversy in 1939 when she was escorted out of a German Bund Meeting at Madison Square Garden for protesting against the Nazis, Moses was applauded for her actions and continued to be a beloved figure in the Black community.
Moses retired from show business in the early 1940s, but her legacy lives on as a pioneering figure in Black cinema and a symbol of beauty, talent, and class.
