Nina Simone, Porgy and Bess, and the Rise of a Reluctant Star in 1959
When readers opened the December 1959 issue of Ebony Magazine, they encountered the story of a rising star whose name would soon become synonymous with artistry, defiance, and cultural power: Nina Simone. In a feature titled “Nina Loves Porgy”, Ebony chronicled the unlikely rise of the young singer-pianist from Tryon, North Carolina, who transformed George Gershwin’s tune “I Loves You Porgy” into the defining jazz hit of the year.
At first glance, the article looked like a straightforward profile of a new artist on the rise. But in its words and photographs, it revealed much more. It captured the emergence of an artist whose voice embodied both tradition and rebellion, and it reflected the larger moment in American life when African Americans were demanding new visibility, dignity, and equality.
The late 1950s were a turning point in both American politics and African American culture. By 1959, the Civil Rights Movement was reshaping the national landscape. The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–56) had already demonstrated the power of collective protest. In 1957, the Little Rock Nine integrated Central High School under the protection of federal troops. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was rising as a national leader, and sit-ins and freedom rides were only months away.
But while the fight for equality was visible in marches and court cases, it was also being waged in culture. Representation mattered. Who appeared on magazine covers, who filled concert halls, and whose voices reached radios across the country shaped not only entertainment but also identity and dignity.
That is why Nina Simone’s story, as told in the December 1959 Ebony, mattered so much. She was a young Black woman who had taken a song by Gershwin, filtered it through her unique style, and made it her own. Her recording of “I Loves You Porgy” shot to the top of the charts, launching her from an unknown nightclub pianist in Atlantic City to one of the most discussed performers of the year.
Ebony, the premier African American magazine of its time, understood that Simone’s rise was not just about music. It was about what her artistry represented: a new kind of cultural authority and a new kind of visibility for African Americans in mainstream America.
Founded in 1945 by John H. Johnson, Ebony Magazine quickly became one of the most important publications in American life. Its mission was simple but revolutionary: to tell the full story of African American life, in all its diversity, struggle, and triumph.
In the 1950s, Ebony stood almost alone in providing consistent, positive, and wide-ranging coverage of African Americans. Where mainstream magazines either ignored or stereotyped Black life, Ebony featured political leaders, cultural icons, family life, church traditions, sports heroes, and entertainers — all framed with dignity and pride.
The December 1959 issue continued that tradition. Its pages included political essays, social commentary, fashion features, and — most memorably — a profile of Nina Simone. By featuring her, Ebony was not just covering a new singer. It was affirming her importance, shaping how readers would see her, and documenting her place in African American cultural history.
The article “Nina Loves Porgy” was accompanied by striking photography that gave readers a full sense of Simone’s artistry, background, and personality.
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Performance Photography: Ebony captured Simone in dramatic black-and-white shots at the piano, both at Town Hall in New York City and in smoky club settings. The captions emphasized her intensity: “I mean every word I sing. I feel deep within me the words I’m singing.” These images presented her not just as an entertainer, but as an artist of depth and conviction.
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Personal Life: Ebony also showed her in quieter moments — signing autographs, walking arm-in-arm with her husband Don Ross, and sharing private time in their New York apartment. These photos reminded readers that Simone was both an artist and a young woman newly navigating fame, love, and responsibility.
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Church Roots: The article stressed her beginnings in a Methodist church choir in Tryon, North Carolina, guided by her mother, a domestic worker by day and minister by night. By linking her career to the Black church, Ebony grounded Simone in traditions familiar to its readers.
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Career Path: Simone’s transformation from Eunice Waymon to Nina Simone was recounted as a pragmatic decision. She changed her name to hide her nightclub work from childhood acquaintances, then took a $90-a-week job in Atlantic City that led to her first album, Little Girl Blue.
Ebony’s blend of biographical detail, performance analysis, and human interest made the article powerful. It was journalism that was also cultural affirmation. It told readers: this young woman’s story mattered, and by extension, so did their own.
From Ebony’s words and photos, ten themes stand out:
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The Breakout Hit: Simone’s recording of “I Loves You Porgy” made her one of the year’s most talked-about new stars.
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Roots in Tryon: Her upbringing in the Black church shaped her music and gave her grounding.
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Name Change: Changing from Eunice Waymon to Nina Simone was both practical and symbolic — a reinvention for a new career.
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Marriage to Don Ross: Ebony gave readers a rare glimpse into her private life, highlighting her relationship with her young husband.
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Stage Presence: Her dramatic, deeply emotional performances stood out, even in still photographs.
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Blending Traditions: She combined classical training with gospel, blues, and jazz, creating a sound unlike anyone else’s.
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Comparisons to Legends: Critics likened her voice to a mix of Marian Anderson and Ma Rainey — two of the most significant figures in African American music.
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Independence of Spirit: Ebony emphasized her refusal to bend to critics or conventional expectations.
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Atlantic City Beginnings: Her modest $90-a-week job became the unlikely starting point for global fame.
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Representation in Ebony: Featuring Simone in 1959 placed a young Black woman at the center of American culture, reflecting Ebony’s role in shaping representation.
For today’s collectors, the December 1959 Ebony Magazine is a treasure. Its value lies in both its content and its cultural timing.
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Historical Timing: This issue captured Nina Simone just as her career exploded, documenting the very beginning of her journey to becoming a legend.
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Cultural Significance: It showed readers — many of whom were shut out of mainstream media — a young Black woman being taken seriously as an artist of depth and originality.
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Photography: The dramatic performance shots of Simone at the piano, combined with intimate portraits of her personal life, make this issue visually striking.
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Collector Demand: Magazines featuring civil rights leaders, entertainers, and cultural icons are among the most sought-after. Nina Simone’s early coverage makes this issue especially desirable.
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Artifact of History: More than a magazine, this is an original artifact of African American cultural history, linking music, identity, and representation.
For families, historians, and collectors alike, owning this issue means holding a piece of history that documents the rise of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Ebony’s coverage of Nina Simone in 1959 endures because it was about more than a new star. It was about what she represented: independence, artistry, and cultural pride in an era of struggle and change.
Magazines like this remind us that history is not only written in speeches and protests but also in music, fashion, and everyday life. They remind us of the complexity of African American history: the joy alongside the struggle, the glamour alongside the fight for justice.
For collectors and enthusiasts today, vintage Ebony magazines offer a way to connect with that history. They are not just nostalgic keepsakes. They are time capsules — preserving how African Americans saw themselves and how they wanted to be seen.
If this story of Nina Simone inspires you, you can go further. You can own the very issue of Ebony that first brought her story to readers in 1959.
👉 Browse our full collection of original Ebony magazines here:
Original Ebony Magazines Collection
From the 1940s through the 1970s, Ebony documented African American life in unmatched depth. Whether it was covering civil rights milestones, entertainers like Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone, or cultural icons in fashion and sports, each issue is a piece of history.
For collectors, historians, or families honoring their heritage, these magazines are treasures — original artifacts of African American culture that continue to inspire today.
The December 1959 Ebony Magazine, with its feature “Nina Loves Porgy”, is more than a music profile. It is the story of a young artist on the cusp of greatness, a community claiming cultural pride, and a magazine fulfilling its mission to represent African American life in all its richness.
By documenting Nina Simone’s rise, Ebony not only told the story of a single performer but also reflected the broader transformation of American life in the 1950s — a time when civil rights struggles and cultural breakthroughs were reshaping the nation.
For anyone who values history, culture, or music, this issue is a reminder: Ebony magazines are not just reading material. They are living artifacts of heritage and history.