Biography:

When Prairie View A&M University celebrated its Founders Day and Honors
Convocation on March 27, 2002, the historically black college also revived a
chapter of forgotten Texas music history. The Prairie View Co-eds were an
extremely popular all-woman big band of the 1940s, who brought audiences
to their feet from the Houston Civic Auditorium to the Apollo Theater and
back again throughout World War II. Thanks to the hard work and dedication
of a good many people across the Prairie View Campus, notably those in the
College of Nursing, whose turn it was to organize the convocation, the Prairie
View Co-eds brought audiences to their feet again with their vivid stories,
distinguished presence, good humor, and poignant histories. Almost
unbelievably, the university was able to assemble twelve former members of
this fifteen piece band from sixty years ago, flying members in from as far as
New York and California, as well as two daughters of deceased members.
This celebration of the Prairie View Co-eds provided an unforgettable
glimpse into history for everyone who heard the honorees tell of their
experiences as black college women playing big band music during World
War II, as well as a very special reunion for former band members, most of
whom had not seen each other, or visited Prairie View, since the mid-1940s.

Credits: