Hidden Figures: Elvera Sanchez (Patreon)

Hidden Figures: Elvera Sanchez

'Elvera Sanchez was born in New York City to Luisa Valentina (née Aguiar; February 14, 1884 – October 5, 1996), a Cuban immigrant, and Marco Sanchez, who was from Spain. She began her career as a chorus-line dancer at the Lafayette Theater in Harlem, in 1921. She became known as "Baby Sanchez", and married Sammy Davis Sr., also a dancer, in 1923. In 1925 their son and only child, Sammy Davis Jr., was born. He would often accompany his mother and father to the theater. When the child was three, the couple split up and the father obtained sole custody of his son, taking him on the road. Sanchez was a chorus-line dancer at Apollo Theater for six years and appeared in Carl Micheaux's 1936 Swing. She continued to dance until the 1940s. After retiring from her show business career at the age of 35, she began working as a barmaid for Grace's Little Belmont in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She enjoyed telling jokes to customers and was known for sporting a gold napkin. Her connections with entertainers Count Basie, Billy Eckstine, and Sarah Vaughn drew these and other celebrities to her station, and her son Sammy would come to visit after performing across town at the 500 Club "and delighted everyone pouring drinks and singing". Frank Sinatra's valet George Jacobs recalled in his memoirs that Sinatra also liked to drop by Grace's Little Belmont in the early morning hours after his shows at the 500 Club to say hello to Davis' mother behind the bar. From 1989, until her death in 2000, she was an adviser to the New York Committee to Celebrate National Tap Dance Day. Elvera was survived by her daughter, Ramona.' ~ via Wikipedia #ElveraSanchez #HiddenFigures ****************** Follow me on social media! Twitter: @seren_sensei Instagram: @sensei_aishitemasu Tumblr: http://sensei-aishitemasu.tumblr.com Snapchat: sssseren GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/tc5wh7q Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/seren_sensei ****************** Did you know I wrote a book? ☺️ 'So, About That... A Year of Contemporary Essays on Race and Pop Culture' Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/About-That-Contemporary-Essays-Culture-ebook/dp/B013V0CHK6 Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013V0CHK6 Digital download (e-book): https://gumroad.com/l/IkUa ****************** Links: Elvera Davis (Sammy Davis Jr.'s mother) interview 14 May 1997 Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b8OfxDfvaA Elvera Davis (Sammy Davis Jr.'s mother) interview 14 May 1997 Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsAkn_CfBnY Elvera Davis (Sammy Davis Jr.'s mother) interview 14 May 1997 Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX5pa71Z1DQ Elvera Davis (Sammy Davis Jr.'s mother) interview 15 May 1997 Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doVqKsSupGQ Elvera Davis (Sammy Davis Jr.'s mother) interview 15 May 1997 Part 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmjgCOobvNE 'Elvera Davis, 95, Tap Dancer And Mother of Sammy Davis Jr.:' http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/08/arts/elvera-davis-95-tap-dancer-and-mother-of-sammy-davis-jr.html Elvera Sanchez (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvera_Sanchez