The Forties

Lionel Hampton 16-piece band appears at the Apollo. Hampton’s hit, “Flyin’ Home,” becomes an Apollo favorite.
Teddy Hale, Babe Laurence and Bunny Briggs are the top dance attractions.
During World War II the Apollo sets aside 35 tickets daily for soldiers. Tuesdays at the USO were “Apollo Night.”
Dinah Washington and Sammy Davis, Jr. make their first Apollo appearance.
Amateur Night winners during the 1940s include Sarah Vaughn and Ruth Brown
Apollo comics stop using blackface makeup.