Galima "Black Nightingale" ... Imperial Russia's Black Actress

Moscow, Russia (1915)

Upon the outbreak of WWI, Afro-American singer/dancer Emma Harris (known across the Russian Empire as Galima 'the Black Nightingale') liquidated her husband's chain of cinemas and sold their large estate in Kharkiv, Ukraine before relocating to Moscow and purchased a 15-room house in the central part of the city. 

As her husband/manger, Alexander Ivanovich Mizikin, was drafted to fight on the front, Emma's touring across the Empire abruptly stopped. In between her usual stage performances around Moscow's cabaret and music-halls, she met director Sigimund Veselovsky who was preparing a new film at the G.I. Libkin Studios at Yaroslavl. 

*Satan's Woman* Drama, 5 hours, 1 350 m. 

T / D S. Veselovsky and Parkhomenko. Issued by offices "Alians" (May, 14 1915)

 Scene and Director: S. Veselovsky. 

Actors: Ge-De-Gayam (Gaia Assi, circus actress). N. Saltykov (actor Yevgeniy Tolsky), Lihomsky (Andrey, his brother), Galima (Emerita, Negro), Oriedo, Lyubomirsky, Kuznetsov, Nezhdanov. 

*ЖЕНЩИНА-САТАНА* Драма, 5 ч., 1 350 м. 

Т/Д С. Веселовский и Пархо­ менко. Вып. конторы «Алиано> (14/У 1915)

Сцен, и реж. С. Веселовский. 

Акте­ ры: Ге-Де-Гаям (Гея Асси. цирковая арти­стка). Н. Салтыков (артист Евгений Тольский), Лихомский (Андрей, его брат), Галима (Эмеритта, негритянка), Ориедо, Любомирский, Кузнецов, Нежданов. 

After Emma's assistance in writing the scenario, during the Spring of 1915, Veselovsky created his interesting attempt on Russian soil an intricate American adventure film "Satan's Woman" about the circus actress, Gaia Assi, who killed off her lovers. Emma played the part as Emerita, the maid and confidante of the murdering actress. As an African-American woman appearing in a Imperial Russian, Emma caused huge sensation across the country. 

Several months later, she connected with comedic actor-director B. Kramskoy, and appeared in his latest farce film, "Feet Up!" however a the films scenario and release date have been lost. Released through the Kinolent Company:

*FEET UP* Farce, materials and equipment. unknown

The office of "Kinolent".

Scenes and director: B. Kramskoy

Actors: B. Kramskoy, Galima, Oryedo, Anon, Tikhomirov

*НОГИ ВВЕРХ* Фарс, мтр. неизв. 

Контора «Кинолента».

Сцен, и реж. Б. Крамской. 

Актеры: Б. Крамской, Галима, Ориедо, Анона, Ти­хомиров

According to Emma, she later appeared in several more unknown propagandist films during the Soviet period, sometime between 1922-25.