Jean Starr

Jean Starr was an actress, dancer, and trumpeter who became a Chicago society figure after marrying Chicago numbers racket tycoon and Jones brothers, McKissack "Mack" McHenry Jones, and becoming Jean Starr Jones.

This article is about the actress and musician. For the poet and educator, see Jean Starr Untermeyer.

Starr was from Columbus, Ohio.[1]

She appeared in the theatrical productions Raisin' Cain (1923)[2] and Lucky Sambo (1925).[3]

She married McKissack "Mack" McHenry Jones,[4][5][6][7] part of the prosperous Chicago African American Jones family that was involved in the "policy" numbers game racket before Al Capone and white mafia figures completed a violent takeover.[8] After her husband's death in a car accident, she developed their vacation home into the Double J Ranch (referred to as the Pink Mansion) in Constantine Township, Michigan. The resort was popular with African Americans[9] and also had high profile visitors. The area is now part of Three Rivers State Wildlife Management Area. She remained close with the Jones family and was the subject of society page notices in African American magazines.

She is recorded on the album Jazz Women: A Feminist Retrospective on the song "Moonlight On Turham Bay" with L'Ana Hyams and other female performers. She was also recorded as part of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a group she joined in 1940,[10] including on the song "Tuxedo Junction". She also performed with the Jimmie Lunceford Band[11] and played with the Benny Carter Orchestra.[12] In her later years, she was part of Eddie Durham's All-Star Girl Orchestra.[13][14]

She led the Bronzeville socialite group the Royalites.[15]

She was expected to marry Clarence H. Cobbs of the First Church of Deliverance.[1]

Josephine Baker was her sister-in-law.[16]

Discography

Further reading

References
  1. "Indianapolis Recorder 20 January 1945 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". Newspapers.library.in.gov. January 20, 1945. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  2. Peterson, Bernard L. (April 30, 1993). A Century of Musicals in Black and White: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, Or Involving African Americans. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 286 – via Internet Archive. jean starr dancer.
  3. Peterson, Bernard L. (April 30, 1993). A Century of Musicals in Black and White: An Encyclopedia of Musical Stage Works By, About, Or Involving African Americans. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 221 – via Internet Archive. black sambo 1925 jean starr.
  4. "Indianapolis Recorder 20 January 1945 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program". newspapers.library.in.gov.
  5. Company, Johnson Publishing (October 29, 1953). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  6. Company, Johnson Publishing (December 16, 1954). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  7. Company, Johnson Publishing (February 11, 1954). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  8. Grossman, Ron. "When policy kings ruled". chicagotribune.com.
  10. Helicon Nine. Helicon Nine, Incorporated. 1987.
  11. Handy, D. Antoinette (April 30, 1998). Black Women in American Bands and Orchestras. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810834194 – via Google Books.
  12. Linda Dahl (1989). Stormy Weather: The Music and Lives of a Century of Jazzwomen. Limelight Editions. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-87910-128-2.
  13. "'KINGS' Excerpt 5". policykings.com.
  14. Erenberg, Lewis A. (October 30, 1999). Swingin' the Dream: Big Band Jazz and the Rebirth of American Culture. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226215174 – via Google Books.
  15. Thompson, Nathan (April 30, 2003). Kings: The True Story of Chicago's Policy Kings and Numbers Racketeers : an Informal History. Bronzeville Press. ISBN 9780972487504 – via Google Books.
  16. Jean-Claude Baker; Chris Chase (2001). Josephine: The Hungry Heart. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 279. ISBN 978-0-8154-1172-7.
  17. Stereo Review. CBS Magazines. July 1978.
  18. "All women groups". Stash Records. April 30, 1978.
  19. Stereo Review. CBS Magazines. 1978.
  21. Moanin' Low: A Discography of Female Popular Vocal Recordings, 1920-1933. Greenwood Publishing Group. 1996. p. 525. ISBN 978-0-313-29241-5. Jean starr blues.
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