1.0Libraryhttps://www.qc.cuny.edu/libraryRobin Naughtonhttps://www.qc.cuny.edu/library/author/qc10886877/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="uCwp7fFwPj"><a href="https://www.qc.cuny.edu/library/music/exhibits/black-music/bessie-smith/">Black Music: Bessie Smith</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.qc.cuny.edu/library/music/exhibits/black-music/bessie-smith/embed/#?secret=uCwp7fFwPj" width="600" height="338" title="“Black Music: Bessie Smith” — Library" data-secret="uCwp7fFwPj" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.qc.cuny.edu/library/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> https://www.qc.cuny.edu/library/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2026/05/Bessie_Smith_1936_by_Carl_Van_Vechten.jpg500639Bessie Smith (April 15, 1892 – September 26, 1937) was an African-American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues" and formerly Queen of the Blues, she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s.