Florence Emery Jones
Florence Emery "Embry" Jones (1892 – 1932) was an American jazz singer and dancer, notable for her work in Paris during the 1920s. She was known for her elusive persona and for performing at Le Grand Duc and later at Chez Florence in Montmartre. Early life Florence Emery Jones was born in 1892 and lived in Bridgeport, Connecticut for most of her youth. She moved to New York City as a performer before immigrating to Paris in 1920 to further her career. Career in Paris Jones migrated to Paris to start a musical career. In the 1920s, African Americans in the United States were suffering from racial tension and segregation, while Paris was thought to be more tolerant and welcoming. She became a well-known singer and dancer at Eugene Bullard's club, Le Grand Duc, where she achieved renown and praise. Jones would occasionally perform with her husband, musician Palmer Jones, who worked at the Ambassadeurs club at the time but would stop by Le Grand Duc after three in the morning. Part of Jones' allure was "a professional snobbishness which she deliberately cultivated," according to poet Langston Hughes, who briefly worked at the club as the second cook, and who