Live From the Reading Room: Ada "Bricktop" Smith to Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong by Alexsandra Mitchell, Reference Librarian and Archivist, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black CultureJuly 1, 2016

Live from the Reading Room: Correspondence is a podcast series that aims to share interesting and engaging letters written by or to key historical figures from the African Diaspora. Each episode highlights a letter from popular collections housed in the Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.

Today’s episode features a letter from jazz singer, dancer, and nightclub owner Ada “Bricktop” Smith, jazz trumpeter, composer, singer, and "auto-archivist" Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong.

The Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division holds public-service copies of both commercial and archival recordings featuring Ada "Bricktop" Smith including: "Funny That Way," "Embraceable You," and " Can't We Be Friends." For more information about these and other items, please contact schomburgaudiovisual@nypl.org.

Ada "Bricktop" Smith Portrait Collection, Box 1, Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.

Today’s correspondence is recited by Isissa Komada-John, Exhibitions Manager, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.

*Special Note: All text is represented as originally written by the correspondent.  

View all posts by Alexsandra Mitchell

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Bricktop

Submitted by Diane Hunter (not verified) on July 5, 2016 - 8:05pm

I have always admired this woman, Bricktop, and would like to read about her life. Is there a book about her life that I can get to read about this incredible human being? Thank you, Diane Hunter, Tampa, Florida

She is most certainly a

Submitted by Alexsandra Mitchell on July 7, 2016 - 11:34am

She is most certainly a fascinating figure! Bricktop's Paris : African American women in Paris between the two World Wars should be a great read if you are interested in learning more about her!