Photograph of Billie Holiday

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A silver gelatin print depicting a black-and-white image of Billie Holiday. Holiday is depicted standing behind a microphone stand. She wears a white blouse, belt, and floral skirt. A band is depicted in the background behind her, on the left side of the image. At the center of the image is a handwritten inscription in black ink that reads, [To Laura Wise / Frantic [?] to Me / Lady Day / Billie Holiday]. A second inscription below, written by a different hand, reads, [Chicago Dec / 1943]. The image is bordered with white and along bottom is black text on the left and right sides. The text in the lower left corner reads, [BILLIE HOLIDAY]. The text in the lower right corner reads, [Personal Management / JOE GLASER / R C A Building 30 Rockefeller Plaza / New York N.Y.]. There is a notation in pencil on the back of the photograph.

Explore Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture ↗