Ethel Waters was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, and was an unwanted baby. Her mother was only 13 years old when she was raped by jazz pianist John Waters, who never took any responsibility for the child. Ethel’s mother was so young that Ethel’s grandmother, Sally Anderson, knew she would have to raise Ethel.
Sally Anderson worked as a live-in housekeeper and returned home only once each week. She left Ethel in the care of extended family, but no one was in any condition to truly watch out for a little one.
The family home was in a neighborhood just off the red-light district of Chester. Ethel gained an early education from those around her. She frequently was asked to be on the lookout for the police or a pimp one of the women was trying to avoid. This gave Ethel some spending money, but she still had no normal home or regular way to be fed.
22 июн 2024
