Carmen Amaya (1913–1963) was a Romani dancer who performed around the world and had a huge impact on the art of flamenco. During her lifetime she was called the greatest of dancers, and Queen of the Gypsies. Carmen Amaya is hail on a windowpane, a swallow’s cry, a black cigar smoked by a dreamer, thunderous […]
The Life and Artistry of Patti Smith
Patti Smith is an American singer-songwriter, author, and poet widely known as one of the founders and most influential artists in the burgeoning 1970s New York City punk rock movement. Her debut album Horses, with its fusion of spoken poetry and punk rock avant-garde, chronicles both her personal experiences as a female artist and musician […]
Queen Liliʻuokalani, first and last queen regnant of Hawaii
LiliÊ»uokalani (1838–1917), born Lydia LiliÊ»uokalani Loloku Walania Wewehi KamakaÊ», was the first female monarch of Hawaii to reign in her own right. Up until the 1890s, the Kingdom of HawaiÊ» was an independent sovereign state, officially recognized by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and Germany. During LiliÊ»uokalani’s reign, the Overthrow of the […]
Alice Austen, photographer
Alice Austen (March 17, 1866 – June 9, 1952) was a self-taught photographer born on Staten Island. She used her mother’s surname, Austen, because her father had left her mother before Alice was born. Alice started her interest in photography when her uncle gave her a camera when she was 10 years old. After she […]
Lakshmi Shankar, Hindustani classical vocalist
Lakshmi Shankar (born 1926) is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana, and is one of the foremost and well-known vocalists of India. She is known for her performances of khyal, thumri, and bhajans. She’s also recorded Tamil folk songs, Hindu devotional songs of all sorts, film work (including the soundtrack to Gandhi) and […]
