Ethel Waters was born on October 31, 1896 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Ethel Waters was an African American blues singer, and gospel vocalist, and actress, who was raised in poverty, she never lived in the same place for more than 15 months. Ethel said she had a difficult childhood, and was never cuddled or liked or understood by my family members. Ethel got married at age 13 years old, but left Her abusive husband, and became a maid in a Philadelphia Hotel. On her 17th birthday, she attended a costume party at a nightclub on Juniper Street, where she was persuaded to sing two songs, her singing impressed the audience so much she was offered work at Lincoln Theater in Baltimore, Maryland, where she earned $10.00 a week, but her manager cheated
