Broadway Blackface & Harlem Sex Tourism (The Bisexuals, Part 1)

Libby Holman, a 1920s Broadway star, rose to fame as a torch singer whose ambiguous racial identity and provocative performances challenged contemporary social norms. Her career was defined by the popularization of jazz standards and a signature, husky vocal style that drew heavily from Black musical traditions, often involving the controversial use of blackface. Beyond her professional success, Holman navigated a racially mixed and sexually fluid social scene in Harlem, defying the era's rigid moral codes. Her life took a dark turn in 1932 following the suspicious death of her husband, tobacco heir Zachary Smith Reynolds, which led to a murder indictment and a permanent shift in her public reputation. This exploration traces her trajectory from a Cincinnati upbringing to the center of New York’s theatrical elite, examining the intersection of performance, racial appropriation, and personal tragedy.