Zaidee Jackson (December 30, 1897 – December 15, 1970) was an American-born

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

, spiritual and

traditional pop Traditional pop (also known as classic pop and pre-rock and roll pop) is Western culture, Western pop music that generally pre-dates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The most popular and enduring songs from this era of music are known ...

singer, dancer and actress who performed in the United States and Europe. From 1938 to 1956 she lived and worked in Romania. Accused of being a

Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

, her American passport was revoked and she could only return to the United States following a successful appeal filed by the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...

with the

Board of Immigration Appeals The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is an administrative appellate body within the Executive Office for Immigration Review of the United States Department of Justice responsible for reviewing decisions of the U.S. immigration courts and certa ...

Early life

Zaidee Jackson was born December 30, 1897 in

Augusta, Georgia Augusta ( ), officially Augusta–Richmond County, is a consolidated city-county on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies across the Savannah River from South Carolina at the head of its navig ...

to a family of

sharecroppers Sharecropping is a legal arrangement with regard to agricultural land in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on that land. Sharecropping has a long history and there are a wide range ...

. When she was three years old, she moved with her mother to

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Massachusetts. Jackson worked as a

dressmaker A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and gown, evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua (clothing), mantua-makers, and are also known as a mod ...

and was briefly married in the early 1920s. Around 1923, she became a

chorus girl A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms s ...

with the Lafayette Players.

Career

Early career (1924–1927)

From late 1924 to early 1925, Jackson traveled across the South as an actress with the

Andrew S. Bishop Andrew S. Bishop (1894–1959) was an actor on stage and screen. He and Cleo Desmond drew adoring fans to their theatrical performances. He starred in several of Oscar Michaux's African American films. He was part of the Anita Bush stock compan ...

Players, an extension of the old Lafayette Players Company. The company toured Tennessee and Kentucky performing the play ''Paid in Full''. By mid-1925, she had become the lead performer in

Wilbur Sweatman Wilbur Coleman Sweatman (February 7, 1882 – March 9, 1961) was an American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader and clarinetist. Sweatman was one of the first African-American musicians to have fans nationwide. He was also a trail ...

's ''Creole Revue'', touring the Eastern Seaboard and Canada. In January 1926, director

David Belasco David Belasco (July 25, 1853 – May 14, 1931) was an American theatrical producer, impresario, director, and playwright. He was the first writer to adapt the short story ''Madame Butterfly'' for the stage. He launched the theatrical career of m ...

cast Jackson in ''Lulu Belle'', a melodramatic play staged on Broadway. The cast consisted of 100 Black and 15 White performers, the stars being Black actresses such as

Evelyn Preer Evelyn Preer (née Jarvis; July 26, 1896 – November 17, 1932), was a pioneering American stage and screen actress and jazz and blues singer of the 1910s through the early 1930s. Preer was known within the black community as "The First Lady of ...

, Ollie Burgoyne, Mattie Wilkes and Fannie Belle de Knight. Jackson had a minor role in the beginning of the play as a Harlem entertainer in the fictional ''Elite Grotto'' nightclub. Opening February 9, 1926, at the

Belasco Theatre The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York Ci ...

, the show was performed 461 times before closing on May 16. Jackson was also performing at Harlem's ''Club Alabam'', known for its semi-nude

Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

-esque revues. In late November, Jackson and several of the cast from ''Lulu Belle'' were hired by the Black film director

Oscar Micheaux Oscar Devereaux Micheaux (; January 2, 1884 – March 25, 1951) was an author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films. Although the short-lived Lincoln Motion Picture Company was the first movie company owned and controlled ...

to appear in a film, '' The Spider's Web''. Filming began that winter in Baltimore, and the film was released on January 6, 1927. In April 1927, Jackson appeared in ''Desires of 1927'' at the Lafayette Theatre. The revue was staged and produced by Irvin C. Miller with

Adelaide Hall Adelaide Louise Hall (20 October 1901 – 7 November 1993) was an American-born UK-based jazz singer and entertainer. Her long career spanned more than 70 years from 1921 until her death and she was a major figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Hal ...

as its star. In July, Jackson was cast as Magnolia in ''

Rang Tang ''Rang Tang'' is a musical that premiered July 12, 1927, on Broadway at the Royale Theater and ran for 119 performances, including a 14-week overrun, during which, the production moved September 12, 1927, to the Majestic – finishing October 24 ...

'', co-produced by Flournoy Miller and

Aubrey Lyles Aubrey Lee Lyles (8 January 1884 – 28 July 1932), sometimes credited as A. L. Lyles, was an American vaudeville performer, playwright, songwriter, and lyricist. He appeared with Flournoy E. Miller as Miller and Lyles as a popular African-A ...

, which opened July 12 for 112 performances at the

Majestic Theatre Majestic Theatre or Majestic Theater may refer to: Australia * Majestic Theatre, Adelaide, former name of a theatre in King William Street, Adelaide, built 1916, now demolished * Majestic Theatre, Launceston, a former cinema in Tasmania designed b ...

. The two-act musical comedy was set in Madagascar and Harlem and featured Miller & Lyles with Daniel L. Haynes and Josephine Hall. After its Broadway run closed on October 22, the show prepared to go on the road. However, Lawrence Benjamin Brown, who was touring Europe with

Paul Robeson Paul Leroy Robeson ( ; April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for his p ...

, suggested that Jackson visit him in Paris. In November 1927, Jackson sailed from New York to France. A short piece in ''

The Afro-American The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running Africa ...

'' on December 17 said: "Zaidee Jackson, formerly of the ''Rang Tang'' company, has left for Europe where she will join her friends, Lawrence Brown and Paul Robeson".

European career (1928–1936)

Having performed on stage in

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...

for several weeks in early 1928, Jackson moved to London where she was well received. She appeared in

May Edginton May Edginton (originally Helen Marion Edginton, 20 December 1883 – 17 June 1957) was an English writer who had over 50 popular novels published in London. She also wrote plays, collaborating with Rudolf Besier on two of them.Virginia Blain, Pat ...

's play, ''Deadlock'', at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

and was popular on radio. She had other successful engagements at the Piccadilly Hotel and the

Cafe Anglais A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café is an establishment that primarily serves coffee of various types, notably espresso, latte, and cappuccino. Some coffeehouses may serve cold drinks, such as iced coffee and iced tea, as well as other non-ca ...

. In addition, she had made four recordings of

spirituals Spirituals (also known as Negro spirituals, African American spirituals, Black spirituals, or spiritual music) is a genre of Christian music that is associated with Black Americans, which merged sub-Saharan African cultural heritage with the e ...

for the Brunswick label and then signed a contract with

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...

for future recordings. Jackson told a reporter that she intended to make a visit to America "in the next few months". She alternated between London and Paris in 1929. On one occasion in the spring, Jackson was invited to sing at

Countee Cullen Countee Cullen (born Countee LeRoy Porter; May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946) was an American poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwright, particularly well known during the Harlem Renaissance. Early life Childhood Countee LeRoy Porter ...

's small house party near the Rue Pigalle in Paris and at Black dancer Louis Cole's birthday party in his apartment near the Trocadero. On June 27, 1930, the weekly newspaper ''La Semaine à Paris'' carried an advert for a Russian-themed

Sheherazade Scheherazade () is a major female character and the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the '' One Thousand and One Nights''. Name According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade'' de ...

Cabaret with Jackson as one of the leading performers. Jackson continued to make appearances throughout Europe. In early 1933, film director Andrew Buchanan gave her parts in two short films made for the Ideal Cine-Magazine, ''I've Got the Wrong Man'' and ''Black Magic''. She recorded numbers from the films with

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...

and then returned to Paris. From June to October 1933, Jackson starred in Joe Zelli's new cabaret, ''Chez Les Nudistes'', appearing semi-nude in the extravagant revue, ''Au Dela... des Reins'', at Zelli's Club in Paris. Jackson toured Switzerland and the French Riviera during the next two years. In February 1936, she was in

Monte Carlo Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...

and watched the end of the annual

Rallye Monte Carlo The Monte Carlo Rally or Rallye Monte-Carlo (officially ''Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo'') is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco. The rally now takes place along the French Riviera in Monaco and southeast ...

. She was introduced to one of the drivers, a wealthy Romanian engineer called Barbu Neamțu. The two became lovers and Jackson accompanied him to his native

Craiova Craiova (, also , ), is Romania's 6th Cities in Romania, largest city and capital of Dolj County, and situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximatel ...

as his mistress. Neamțu was in an unhappy marriage and began divorce proceedings so he could marry Jackson. She continued her singing career with a residency at the Parisian-themed Restaurant-Bar Zissu in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

America in 1937–38

In October 1937, Jackson sailed from

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 Feb ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

on the RMS ''Queen Mary'' to begin a ten-month night club engagement there and in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. She was met by American journalists including one from the ''

Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African-American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acqu ...

'' who reported:

Romania (1938–1945)

Jackson went back to Romania in September 1938 but had some difficulty in renewing her work visa as the Romanian government insisted that she must be an "Ethnic Romanian". She married Neamțu about this time and was granted Romanian citizenship. In November, she returned to Paris and appeared at Jimmy Monroe's Swing Club. The following month she appeared in the revue, ''Harlem au Coliseum'' at the Paris Coliseum, alongside The 3 Dukes and Myrtle Watkins with music provided by Willie Lewis and His Entertainers. In February 1939, after warnings of impending war were issued by the American Embassy in Paris, Jackson returned to Craiova and appeared regularly on Radio-Bucharest, performing popular American songs she had learned during her 1938 trip to the States. She had another residency at the Restaurant Zissu, alongside

Jean Moscopol Jean Moscopol (; real name: Ioan Moscu; February 26, 1903 – 1980) was a Romanian singer of the interwar period, who spent his last years in the US. Biography Moscopol's parents were Greek. His mother, ''née'' Constantinidi, was from Constanț ...

, and appeared in various concerts with other Romanian entertainers, including a

event at the

Romanian Athenaeum The Romanian Athenaeum ( ro, Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall an ...

in January 1940. That concert was a great success and increased her popularity among Romanian audiences. As Romania was allied to Nazi Germany, Jackson was largely unaffected by

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

until the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

invasion in August 1944. Theatres, cabarets and cinemas were shut down so Jackson was unable to perform again until the war ended and the entertainment venues reopened.

Communist Romania (1946–1956)

From 1945, Jackson continued her Restaurant Zissu residency until the end of 1947 when it was closed down. After that, she had difficulty finding work and making ends meet. The

Romanian Communist Party The Romanian Communist Party ( ro, Partidul Comunist Român, , PCR) was a communist party in Romania. The successor to the pro-Bolshevik wing of the Socialist Party of Romania, it gave ideological endorsement to a communist revolution that woul ...

came to power in 1948 and promptly nationalized all businesses and establishments. Jackson became, despite being an entertainer, effectively an employee of the state. Because of that, the American Embassy in Bucharest declared her passport void and so she could not visit the United States. In April 1951, her husband and some of his family were arrested as "bourgeois spies" and imprisoned for the next four years. Living alone and fending for herself, Jackson was still able to perform but on meagre wages. She decided to petition the US Embassy for the return of her passport. Similar efforts were made by her sister in New York. When her husband was released in 1955, he was ordered to take a provincial job away from Bucharest and Craiova. He asked Jackson to accompany him but she decided to remain in Bucharest and they agreed to divorce. In April 1955, her sister wrote directly to

President Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

who was sympathetic and promised prompt action. After her divorce was finalized, Jackson was able to embark on a tour of Romania's major cities.

Later years

In January 1956, as the result of an appeal filed by the

with the

, the

US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...

permitted Jackson to return to the United States. She resumed her career on the American stage until 1959. During the summer of 1967, she gave a brief interview in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

to Frank Driggs. Zaidee Jackson died on December 15, 1970.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Zaidee 1897 births 1970 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century Romanian actresses 20th-century French actresses American film actresses American burlesque performers Cabaret singers French vedettes Actresses from Boston Naturalised citizens of Romania African-American actresses African-American female dancers American female dancers American female erotic dancers 20th-century African-American women singers Music hall performers Harlem Renaissance Traditional pop music singers Vaudeville performers American emigrants to France American emigrants to Romania 20th-century American singers Musicians from Augusta, Georgia 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American dancers