1920s

1921:

• Blanche leaves home to pursue a career in show business. Blanche’s first big break comes when she appears in "Shuffle Along”, the musical by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle, which also featured Paul Robeson, Florence Mills and Josephine Baker.

1923:

• Blanche joins the James P. Johnson touring show of “Plantation Days”.

1925:

• Nov 9: Blanche records her very first songs in Chicago featuring Louis Armstrong on trumpet.

1927:

• Blanche is on tour with “Plantation Days” revue and stops in Baltimore for two weeks at the Royal Theater.

  Blanche has not seen Cab in 5 years, they celebrate and catch up. Blanche tries to dissuade Cab from a career in show business but Cab does not listen. When a vocalist gets sick, Cab auditions and gets the spot for the rest of the tour. Cab promises his mother he will enroll in law studies at Crane College when the Chicago tour ends.

• Tour takes Blanche and Cab to Pittsburgh, PA, Detroit, MI and Columbus, OH.

• Difficult travel conditions and accommodations at black-only locations. Blanche is a veteran at this point while Cab goes wild chasing the chorus girls.

• June: Blanche and Cab arrive in Chicago and the show closes with two weeks of performances.

• Blanche lives with her boyfriend Waddy on the south side, Cab moves in temporarily.

• Jun 13: Blanche and Cab perform together at the Metropolitan Theater in Chicago with the Sammy Stewart Orchestra.

• Blanche becomes a successful nightclub entertainer.