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Collection Data
- Description
- Lily Yuen was a singer and dancer, who also considered herself a comedienne, performer of novelty songs, parodies and specialty acts, as well as an emcee, during the 1920's and 1930's. She was a principal in the Brownskin Models, an annual touring revue produced by Irvin C. Miller in which her sister, Libo, also appeared. Yuen performed in "Broadway Rastus," "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man." Lily Yuen, also known as "Hoy Hoy" and "Pontop," was born in Georgia and lived her adult life in New York City. The Lily Yuen Papers provides some documentation of the dancing and entertainment career of this revue performer, in addition to containing personal family papers. A small number of papers pertain to Yuen's mother, brother, husband, and her sister and colleague, Libo (Olivia) Yuen. Of interest are two manuscript joke books containing hundreds of jokes, many titled, often about the relationship between men and women. There are also programs for the Brownskin Models, "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man," and sheet and manuscript music, some with parts, and most annotated, including "Can't Believe" and "Why Do I Lie to Myself About You?" A scrapbook of newsclippings documents Yuen's career as a Brownskin Model during the group's nationwide tours (1926-1930). The scrapbook emphasizes Yuen's fellow dancer, Blanche Thompson, who was a principal dancer in Brownskin Models, as well as Florence Mills of "Bye Bye Blackbirds" fame. Yuen's sister, Libo, is also mentioned in the scrapbook as a dancer.
- Names
- Yuen, Lily, 1908- (Creator)
- Thompson, Blanche (Associated name)
- Brownskin Models (Dance company) (Associated name)
- Dates / Origin
- Date Created: 1926 - 1992
- Library locations
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
- Shelf locator: Sc MG 643
- Topics
- African American entertainers
- African American theater
- African American wit and humor
- African American women entertainers
- African Americans in the performing arts
- Dance, Black -- United States
- Revues -- United States
- Women entertainers -- United States
- Women in the performing arts -- United States
- Genres
- Documents
- Notes
- Biographical/historical: Lily Yuen was a singer and dancer, who also considered herself a comedienne, performer of novelty songs, parodies and specialty acts, as well as an emcee, in the 1920s and 1930s. She was a principal in the Brown-Skin Models, an annual touring revue produced by Irvin C. Miller in which her sister, Libo, also appeared. Yuen performed in "Broadway Rastus", "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man". Lily Yuen, also known as "Hoy Hoy" and "Pontop", was born in Georgia and lived her adult life in New York City.
- Content: The Lily Yuen Collection provides some documentation of the dancing and entertainment career of this revue performer, in addition to containing personal family papers. A small number of papers pertain to Yuen's mother, brother, husband, and her sister and colleague, Libo (Olivia) Yuen. Of interest are two manuscript joke books containing hundreds of jokes, many titled, often about the relationship between men and women. There are also programs for the Brown-Skin Models, "Fast and Furious" and "Yeah Man", and sheet and manuscript music, some with parts, and most annotated, including "Can't Believe" and "Why Do I Lie to Myself About You?" A scrapbook of newsclippings documents Yuen's career as a Brown-Skin Model during the group's nationwide tours (1926-1930). The scrapbook emphasizes Yuen's fellow dancer, Blanche Thompson, who was a principal dancer in Brown-Skin Models, as well as Florence Mills of "Bye Bye Blackbirds" fame. Yuen's sister, Libo, is also mentioned in the scrapbook as a dancer.
- Content: Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division
- Physical Description
- Extent: .4 linear feet (1 flat box)
- Type of Resource
- Text
- Identifiers
- Other local Identifier: Sc MG 643
- NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b15861786
- MSS Unit ID: 21895
- Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): c56781f0-552b-013a-3732-0242ac110002
