Going fine since 1889 / Ellen E. Armstrong magician & cartoonist, circa 1920
Dates
- Creation: circa 1920
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on physical access to this material. Collection is open for research.
Extent
1 folderBiographical / Historical
Ellen Armstrong (1914-1979) was an African American female magician. She began her career at the age of six, assisting in her father's show, and soon performed as a "psychic". Her later work on stage included "Chalk Talk", a routine in which she drew story characters on a chalk board, earning her the label of cartoonist. Her father died in 1939; Armstrong took his show on, traveling along the East Coast, chiefly appearing at black churches and schools. Her cartooning eventually eclipsed her other routines in popularity. She lived in South Carolina in her later years.
Physical Location
PFD: P1.C4.02.12
Immediate Source of Acquisition
2019MT-46. Purchased from Citation Books with funds from the Beatrice, Benjamin and Richard Bader Fund in the Visual Arts of the Theatre, 2018.
Subject
- Armstrong, Ellen E. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Houghton Library Repository
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