Dear Donna,

I was intrigued by your posting about the Cotton Club and your mother, Joyce Beasley. I am an author from New York City and am hard at work on a biography of Lena Horne for Simon & Schuster; Lena was in that 1934 show you mentioned. I'm so curious: has your mother ever mentioned Lena? Cleo Hayes remembers her so fondly, as does another Cotton Club girl I know, Ruby Dallas Young. You mentioned the fragility of your mother's memory; do you think any memories of Lena might still reside there?

I'd love to hear from you if you have a moment.

Many thanks,
James Gavin