Gladys Bentley was a part of the Harlem Renaissance as a performer – she played piano and sang in ways that drew huge crowds starting in the 1920s, and she was completely out as a lesbian. But her story takes some surprising turns.
Research:

SYMHC Classics: Moms Mabley
33:10

Behind the Scenes Minis: Self-talk Hoax
19:57

The Pompey Stone Hoax
35:25