Women’s History Month 2024
One of our esteemed guest was the great Norma Miller! With a show business career that spans 8 decades she is known world wide as the Queen of Swing.
Her career began at the iconic Savoy Ballroom in Harlem in the 1930’s where at 15 years old she was the youngest member of the Lindy Hop team Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. This is the elite team that threw down in an unforgettable movie scene that constantly trends on social media even today. Norma Miller is the lady in the 2nd couple dancing.
I met Norma Miller when she was 91 years old through the Frankie Manning Foundation. She quickly became my friend and mentor. When she learned about my business B-Love’s Guest House it became her preferred place to stay anytime she was in the Bay Area. The Queen of Swing turned down offers to stay at 5 star hotels so she could be at a Black Woman owned boutique hotel in West Oakland and it was my honor to sit at the feet of this legend cater to her every need.
One of the reasons she loved it here is we are cannabis friendly and she enjoyed the freedom and health benefits of smoking a joint in the mornings along with her morning coffee. She would sit in the sunshine in our lush garden, blaze a spliff, sip her coffee and tell me stories of her show business life.
Norma’s memory was sharp. You can see her sharing history on many documentaries on jazz music including ones by Ken Burns. In the following clip you see her telling me an exclusive story about teenage Ella Fitzgerald marrying a shady character and then getting it annulled.
Ella Fitzgerald was just one show business legends Norma knew and worked with. The list of luminaries include Count Basie, Chick Webb, Billie Holiday, Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry aka Stepin Fetchit, Moms Mabley and Joe Louis. She was a consultant with Spike Lee for the Lindy Hop Scene in the movie Malcolm X and can be seen dancing in a yellow dress with Frankie Manning. She was also a consultant for Debbie Allen’s film Stomping at the Savoy. Ms. Miller was mentored by Redd Foxx to hone comedic skills, and can be seen in Richard Pryor TV specials in the 1970’s.
The last time Norma was a guest at B-Love’s she asked me to produce a comedy show for her and whatever she asked of me I did my best to give it to her. Below is the flyer for the event that was at Eastside Cultural Center in Oakland and included local comedians, dancers and, special guest Chester Whitmore.
My dear friend Norma passed away about 6 months before her 100th birthday. She lived 99.5 years of the life to the FULLEST and is one of my greatest inspirations as a powerhouse of a woman! For this Women’s History Month of 2024 I uplift your name and all your great accomplishments! I love you Norma Miller and all your contributions to the world!
