Sarah Arabella Fields (January 31, 1879-after 1932)
Known as: Bella Fields, La Belle Fields, The Black Nightingale
Arabella Fields (born Sarah Arabella Middleton; January 31, 1879-c. late 1930s) was a African-American entertainer and actress whose extensive career was based in Europe, primarily Germany. Born in Philadelphia, she began appearing in minstrel shows as early as eight years old. From 1894-1896, she travelled to overseas with the "San Francisco Minstrels", until the show eventually fell apart in Russia.
By the turn of the century, she had become a popular headliner in European cabarets and variety shows. Around 1904, she settled in Hamburg and married German pianist and Impresario, Engelhardt A. G. Winter, soon accepting German citizenship. From this marriage, Arabella bore one child.
From 1900-1925, she toured Europe and the Middle East, dancing and singing in five languages (English, German, Russian, French and Dutch). In December 1907, she recorded six songs for Anker Records. Early 1908, she appeared about three silent films. She was often known as the "Black Nightingale".
Around 1921, she had separated from her husband and her child had left home. Throughout the 1920s, she toured Europe with Sam Wooding's "Chocolate Kiddies" and with Louis Douglas and his troupe. In 1931, she appeared in Rex Ingram's last film, "Baroud" in the role of the North African mammy, Mabrouka.
