who was bessie smith parents
Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 15, 1894, one of six children. Her father,  William Smith, was a laborer and part-time preacher. When Bessie was nine years old, both of her parents died, leaving her older sister, Viola, to care for the children. To survive, Bessie and her brother, Andrew, began to perform a musical act on the streets of Chattanooga.