Daughter of John and Nellie (Simon) Winfrey. Petite and demure, Florence Mills was an African - American Singer, Actress and very accomplished Dancer. By age four she was already in revues and by age five she would be winning Buck and Cakewalk dance contests. As a child she was billed as "Baby Florence" Mills. Florence's voice as a singer was very cheery and bright. Later her family moved to New York where the Mills Trio(Florence and her two sisters) would work in vaudeville. Joins vaudeville star 'Bonita' as a ‘pick’ and was arrested as an underage performer and institutionalised. Florence's Sister Maudewas a great Tap dancer known as "Hardfoot Maude" because she could hit the floor with such force.

Florence Mills was one of the first big stars of the African American Stage after Bert Williams and James Weldon Johnson says "she had no superior in any place or race." She would get her big break in 1921 when she replaced the star (Gertrude Helen Saunders) in the 'Shufflin' Along' Stage musical. She sang and introduced the public to the Baltimore Buzz dance which stunned the show's audiences. Her fame helped jump start the Harlem Renaissance and helped end the male domination in vaudeville.