Betty Boop Was Inspired by a Black Performer Named Esther Jones Most People Never Heard Her Name

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]What if one of the most famous cartoon characters in American history was inspired by a black woman most people have never heard of? Because the story of Betty Boop doesn't start in Hollywood. It starts with a young black performer named Esther Jones. Long before Betty Boop became an international icon, Esther Jones was entertaining audiences on stage in Harlem during the 1920s.

[00:00:23]Known as Baby Esther, she performed with a playful voice, exaggerated expressions, and a unique vocal style that audiences loved. Then, something interesting happened. A white performer named Helen Kane reportedly saw Esther perform. Soon afterward, Kane became famous using a remarkably similar baby voice style, turning it into a national sensation through songs like I Want to Be Loved by You. A few years later, Betty Boop appeared on movie screens.

[00:00:53]The voice, the mannerisms, the personality, many people immediately noticed the similarities. Then came the courtroom battle. In 1934, Helen Kane sued the creators of Betty Boop claiming they had stolen her act.

[00:01:08]But during the trial, recordings and testimony surfaced showing that Esther Jones had been performing the style years before Kane ever became famous.

[00:01:17]The lawsuit collapsed. Yet, despite helping dismantle Kane's claim, Esther Jones never received the fame, fortune, or recognition that followed. Fast forward nearly a century. Today, Emmy-winning actress and creator Quinta Brunson is set to star in an upcoming live-action Betty Boop feature. And that's what makes this story so powerful. A black woman helped inspire one of animation's most recognizable characters. Now, another black woman is helping bring that character into a new era. History has a way of coming full circle. The lesson isn't that culture shouldn't be shared. The lesson is that the people who help create culture deserve to be remembered because when history forgets its architects, it becomes easier to mistake the spotlight for the source. Subscribe to the Mac Jetson channel for more black history, Pan-African history, and the untold stories behind the world we live in.