| Summary: | Dancer, choreographer, and educator Mercedes Ellington was born on February 09, 1939, in New York, New York. After earning a degree in classical music and dance from Julliard, Ellington became the first African-American to be a June Taylor Dancer, the featured performers on The Jackie Gleason Show. After leaving the show, Ellington had an extraordinary career on Broadway. Soon, Ellington became an award winning choreographer and opened a non-profit organization in memory of her grandfather called The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts. She was a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists and the Screen Actors' Guild. In addition, Ellington has served on the local and national boards of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In 2016, she also co-authored a book entitled Duke Ellington: An American Composer and Icon with Stephen Brower. Ellington lives in New York with her long-time partner, Kent Drake.
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