Mildred Blount

Her Story

Mildred Eliza Blount (b. 1902 - d. 1974), is an American milliner, stylist, and humanitarian whose career spans over five decades. During the 1920s, Blount was active during the Harlem Renaissance making the bridesmaid’s headpieces for the elaborate Mae Walker wedding. In the early 1930s, Blount worked at John-Frederics Salon in New York and used her talents to create miniature hats that went on display during the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

Receiving the commission to make hats for Gone with the Wind along with the firm, Blount moved to Los Angeles and continued to work with celebrity clients. Pursuing civic work with Black social organizations and national institutions, Blount was an honored member of the local communities. For the remainder of her career, Blount worked on films and owned her own shop in Beverly Hills. Winner of the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship, her creations appeared in countless national news outlets, and television.

Jet Magazine, September 19, 1953

Credit: Johnson Publishing Company Archive. Courtesy J. Paul Getty Trust and Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Made possible by the Ford Foundation, J. Paul Getty Trust, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Smithsonian Institution.

Mildred’s Youth

Born in Edenton, North Carolina around 1902 Mildred Blount, the youngest of 6, was orphaned at an early age. By 1910 she was living at the home of Rev. Dr. Haywood B. Pettigrew and Amy Whitby, her maternal Aunt, on Church Street. In the home were Blount’s sister Clara, her cousin Laura Alice Pettigrew Underhill, and her two young children, William and Harold.

Around 1912, Mildred moved to 1706 North Woodstock Street, Philadelphia to stay with Abel P. Caldwell and Patricia Whitby, another maternal Aunt. While living in Philadelphia she attended Douglas-Singerly School.

Shortly after, around 1914, she moved again to St. Pauls Avenue, Staten Island with Charles Pride and Ophelia Blount, Mildred’s sister. While living with her sister she briefly attended PS 14 on Broad Street. Between 1916 and 1919, Blount attended Cooper Union Art School briefly before becoming ill and dropping out. Blount completed her high school diploma by taking evening classes while working as an errand girl during the day at Madame Clair's Dress and Hat Shop at West 45th Street where her sister, Clara was a fitter.

Time in New York, 1920s

By 1920, Mildred was officially with Clara at 137 West 141 Street. Due to their involvement in the budding Black community in Harlem, she is quickly a part of The Debutante Club, chaperoned by A’leia Walker and Lucille Campbell Green Randolph.

By November 24, 1923, Blount was commissioned to make headpieces for the bridesmaids for the wedding of Mae Walker Robinson and Dr. Henry Gordon Jackson at St. Philip's Church. Soon after she became the exclusive milliner for A’leia Walker. At the Harlem Y.W.C.A. Trade School in New York, Blount organized and taught millinery school classes at 100 West and 137th Street for $3 a night ($52.17 today). Blount would often display her works at fashion shows and eventually opened her shop with her sister Clara around 1927, the Cutest Shop at 398 West 145th Street.

Time in New York, 1930s

In 1930, Blount is living with her sister Clara on 2816 8th Avenue along with other renters. Between the Spring and Summer of the following year, she was hospitalized and received a blood transfusion at Presbyterian Hospital. While convalescing she saw a classified advertisement for a milliner at John Frederic Salon at 501 Madison Avenue. Receiving the position at the New York location, Blount attends City College trade economics classes in the evenings and begins her three-year process of doing research into the hats that will be displayed at the New York World’s Fair. By Spring 1939, Blount created 87 miniature hats that were 12 to 13 inches in diameter and based on hat styles of three centuries 17th, 18th, and 19th.

David O. Selznick’s wife, Irene Mayer Selznick, spotted Mildred’s miniature hats in John Frederic’s NYC salon and suggested her husband hire them to design hats for Gone with the Wind. Working on the movie brought Mildred to Los Angeles in 1939 where she made both the hats for the film and designed styles inspired by the movie for department stores, like Bullocks. Historically credit for the GWTW hats was given to Mildred’s employer John Frederics even though the shop, like most milliners, did not receive film credit. Milliners are considered below-the-line so most of the information regarding Mildred’s film work is in black newspaper society columns like the Los Angeles Sentinel.

Time in Los Angeles, 1940s

Los Angeles in the 1940s was fruitful for Blount who was at 1558 West 36th Place. Living on her own in the house she rented, Blount worked as a milliner making an income of $1,250 ($27,481.16 today). In December 1941 she made the veil for Gloria Vanderbilt and Pat DiCicco’s wedding. On May 15, 1943, she received the Julius Rosenwald Fellowship Fund for assembling a miniature collection of historical headpieces and was awarded $1,800 ($32,024.29 today) the highest award received at the time out of 500 applicants.

Blount continued making her own creations, and by 1948, Mildred opened her own shop, Mildred Blount Exquisite Hats, at 450 North Beverly Drive selling hats, gloves, blouses, slips, and parasols.

Time in Los Angeles, 1950s

In 1950, Mildred was living at 2631 Manhattan Place with a roommate. Blount, a thriving community member, served annually as a judge at the Les Dames Bal Masque. Between March 1 and April 5, 1953, Blount exhibited Bonnets That Bloom in the Spring at the Detroit Historical Society and Detroit Historical Museum which won a local award. Within the main exhibition space, 20 miniature hats from between 1701 and 1851 were on view. By 1953 she was rated one of the top 4 milliners in the world.

By 1955 she became a member of the Motion Picture Costumers Union, the first African American to belong to the AFL affiliate. Blount worked with the Ice Capades of 1956 and 1958, where her creations were often featured on the Ed Sullivan Show. By 1959, Blount was featured in Who’s Who of American Women and shared her biography.

Social Engagements and Activities

Not only does Blount actively attend social events, but she also participates as a Judge in countless Fashion and Hat shows such as Les Dames Bal Masque, The National Association of Colored Women, Costume Ball of the Urban League Guild, and Miss Bronze Beauty Pageant. With such strong ties to the community, she also participates in more civic-minded organizations.

Urban League

Mildred served in the Urban League chapters in New York and Los Angeles. In New York, she served as Vice President of the Young Women's Council on Madison Avenue. And in Los Angeles, she became a board member.

“MY DESIRE TO DO THIS WORK IS FIRST OF ALL TO ACQUAINT ALL WHO SEE IT WITH THE HIDDEN POSSIBILITIES OF WOMEN. ”
— Mildred Blount

American Red Cross

Between 1942 and 1946, Mildred participated in the Hollywood Canteen. Serving as a lieutenant and on the speaker's bureau with the American Red Cross, she organized and trained an interracial staff of women to do reupholstery for the Camp and Hospital Service.

Zeta Phi Beta

Mildred was named Outstanding Los Angeles Woman of 1944, an honor given by Xi Alpha (Occidental College) and Beta Eta Zeta (Graduate Chapter, Los Angeles) chapters of Zeta Phi Beta. Being active with the Zeta's, she became an honorary member of the national body (1947), the first on the West Coast.

This work is brought to you by the generous donations of Warped Mind Milliner, The House of MacGregor, 1Hipchik Hats, Katie Allen of Lifted Millinery, Laura Del Villaggio, Kim Faircloth Fraser of Hatnip, Once Upon A Hat by Wanda J. Chambers, and Moire’s Millinery by Moire Bagale.