Let us go all the way back to the age of chronic, open segregation in the United States of America and Ella Fitzgerald. This beautiful, talented queen got detained for a dare. Because she dared to sing and entertain people of different races.

What exactly are we saying?

Ella Fitzgerald was detained for singing to an audience of white and not so white people. If you look up those words in the search engines these days, they say the use of both terms are obsolete. However, at that time in the 1950s, 60s, and before, it was a huge deal. So huge that countless Africans who broke the Segregation laws were lynched, jailed or condemned to death.

Anyway, in 1955, Ella and some others were detained in a Houston jail on 7th October. Police said they were arrested because they were gambling backstage. In truth, the promoter of the show was the cause. He removed all signs of segregation at the show venue so, people sat together.

Some of the audience did not like it and asked for a refund, which they got. But they still reported to the police. And so Ella and others missed two shows because the police arrested and detained them. Thankfully, they made it up to the waiting audience by doing two free shows.

You should listen to these songs of Ella Fitzgerald and share in the comments section below what you think of her soulful songs.

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