June 2: Today we remember Ma Rainey. According to Reader’s Digest online, she grew up to become known as the mother of the blues. In a time when most people were closeted, she sang openly about her relationships with other women and about living life as a black woman in America. She became a popular performer in the 1920s and her work inspired poets such as…Langston Hughes” and other writers. “She broke barriers and paved the way for other women of color, including her protege, Bessie Smith. When she retired as a performer she established two music venues, offering opportunities to other performers.