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Historical plaque honors late Ella Fitzgerald, 'Queen of Jazz' in Riverdale

<p>Ella Fitzgerald, known to many as the 'Queen of Jazz,' was honored by the New York Historical Preservation Center with a medallion outside of a Riverdale senior center that previously served as an asylum where the musician once stayed.</p>

News 12 Staff

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Aug 16, 2018, 11:39 AM

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Updated 2,079 days ago

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Ella Fitzgerald, known to many as the 'Queen of Jazz,' was honored by the New York Historical Preservation Center with a medallion outside of a Riverdale senior center that previously served as an asylum where the musician once stayed.
The medallion was unveiled at the Hebrew Home at Riverdale, which became the latest site recognized as a historic landmark in the city.
A commemoration of its connection to Fitzgerald was held to honor the first lady of song.
Fitzgerald spent time at the home, which previously served as a colored orphan asylum after her mother died when she was just 15 years old, according to historians.
Historians say the young singer actually got into trouble with the law in 1933 for serving as a lookout for bookies. She was deemed  "morally wayward" and authorities brought her to the now Hebrew Home when it was an asylum.
The medallion placed outside of the building joins 115 others across the city and is meant to remind New Yorkers of the rich cultural history of the city.
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