Singer and actress Ethel Waters is born in Chester, Pennsylvania.
At a Glance
- Date
- 31 October 1896
- Location
- Chester, Pennsylvania
- Key people
- Ethel Waters
- Category
- Arts & Literature
- Source
- Biographical records · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
She broke barriers on Broadway, in film, and on television across a long career.
What It Means Now
Waters was among the first Black performers to achieve mainstream stardom.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Ethel Waters Is Born.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/ethel-waters-is-born/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Ethel Waters Is Born. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/ethel-waters-is-born/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Ethel Waters Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/ethel-waters-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.