Black Swan Records

Black Swan records was founded by Harry Pace as an outlet to record black musicians in an era when black music was largely ignored by the established recording companies. When Pace formed his Pace Phonograph Corporation, Inc., initially working out of his own home, he was hoping to both give black musicians a voice and to help document the music scene in New York that was flourishing during the Harlem Renaissance. The name of the label was purposely intended to be evoke the memory of singer Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, known popularly as the "Black Swan." Black Swan was known as the first black owned record label.He recruited Ethel Waters to the roster and the label started to make a impact on the recording industry. A bunch of tours was launched and the contract with Waters made her the highest paid black performer. By 1922 dealers were in place for as far as way as Southeast Asia and Black Swan was being promoted as a model for the most successful black owned enterprise. Pace and new business partner John Fletchers goals of the label were to record white musicians.November 1921, just as the Black Swan tours featuring Ethel Waters were beginning the first white musicians mixed with balck musicians. This was a great record company that helped alot of people and changed society greatly.