In 1914, Walker died suddenly from kidney failure. That same year, she performed on Broadway as Salome. In 1910 she returned to the stage as a solo act.

In 1908 she retired to care for her ill husband. Overall, Aida was praised by critics and fellow performers. Overton Walker had significant theatrical success with her performances in Dahomey (1902), Abyssinia (1906), and Bandana Land (1908). In 1900 she gained national notice with her performance of “Miss Hannah from Savannah” in the play, “Sons of Ham”. When she was fifteen years old she joined the “Octoroons”, a black touring group. She was educated there and received a great deal of musical training. Aida was born in Richmond, Virginia and moved to New York City when she was young. Aida was well known for her 1912 performance of the ”’salome” dance. She was also a solo dancer and choreographer for a number of other vaudeville shows. They were the major black vaudeville and musical comedy act of the era. Aida and her husband performed with the highly successful Bert Williams.

She was married in 1899 to vaudeville performer, George Walker. She has been called the most famous African American female performer of the early twentieth century. She was African-American and an American vaudeville performer, singer, actress, and choreographer. Aida Overton Walker (1880-1914) was known as “The Queen of the Cakewalk”. I don’t recall ever seeing its equivalent, “A Pasty Beauty”, on a portrait of a white female performer. The caption above her name refers to her as “A Dusky Beauty”. The subject of this vintage real photo postcard is Miss Aida Overton Walker.

Aida overton walker