Stormé DeLarverie, a musician and cross-dresser, began performing at nightclubs as a Jazz singer in her late teens. She would later take on the persona of "guardian of the lesbians" in The Village.
Albert Hunter would record popular songs such as “He’s a Darned Good Man to Have Around,” "How Long, Sweet Daddy, How Long," "Some Day Sweetheart," and “Down Hearted Blues,” which later became a hit for Bessie Smith. Not one to limit herself, Hunter went on to pave her way in the world of theater. Not only did she replace Bessie Smith in the show, How Come? and she also starred in Showboat, which ran in London.
Gladys Bentley quickly gained popularity as a pianist and singer as she began performing at rent parties, speakeasies, and nightclubs. She was forthright about her sexuality and frequently performed at lesbian bars.
In addition to her published work, Alice Dunbar-Nelson also kept diaries. These diaries detailed her love affairs with women — despite her marriages to men.