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Vancouver had a vibrant entertainment scene during the first part of the 20th century. Vaudeville groups and minstrel shows had Vancouver as a stop on the tour schedule. The Bowman or Patricia Cabaret now known as the Patricia Hotel in the east end of Vancouver was home to a
jazz band in 1920 that had as its members, Oscar Holden, Leo Bailey, Jelly Roll Morton, Lillian Rose of New York and Ada Bricktop Smith. Bricktop who previously had Chicago as her home base, sent a letter back to the Windy City in which she said she was doing fine in Vancouver
and was playing an unlimited engagement at Bowman’s-the finest cabaret and café in the entire northwest. Nelo Rogers, wife of Edward Tisdale Rogers worked as the cashier at the Cabaret/Café. Esmeralda Statham, an African American singer who lived in Seattle Washington was on
the entertaining staff of the Lodge Café located at 556 Seymour Street in Vancouver along with her husband Adolph Edwards a trap drummer, Olive Bell, Lillian Good Europe and Bettie Ritchie. Nora Hendrix in her oral history recalled that she worked at the dances Powell Street
resident Samuel Edward Williams also known as Soldier Williams provided for the Black community. Mrs. N. Alexander, Joe Wilson, Chaney Bell & Raymond King worked at the Canadian Legion at the Vancouver Hotel for the Breakfast club. Jeanne Fuller, niece of Milton Pope Fuller,
musician and booking agent who worked at the Patricia Hotel, entertained at the Lido cabaret and dance hall located at 730 Main Street, Vancouver. In 1931, Miss Fuller had been the “first girl of the Race to entertain at the Commodore Cabaret, it being the city’s most
elaborate and exclusive place.” The management at the Commodore booked her for a week which assured her of success for future engagements. Jeanne Fuller continued to perform around Vancouver at various venues throughout the next few years. She was back at the Commodore in
1932 with Miss Francis Oldroyd, Miss Elena Phillips and Raymond King to perform for the Beaux Arts club annual ball. Jeanne Fuller was also the only woman of African descent at the Junior League cabaret at which thousands attended. Radio station CJOR broadcast Jeanne Fuller’s
Brownskin Models who performed at a roller skating marathon. In June 1934, she sponsored a very successful cabaret benefit for the African Methodist Episcopalian (A.M.E.) church. The Vancouver correspondent for the Chicago Defender enthusiastically wrote that the cabaret was
the best entertainment put on in the city for a number of years!
