Armstrong's daughter reissues memoir for 125th birthday

Sharon Preston-Folta has lived in Sarasota for many years, but her latest project centers on a life lived in New York City during the mid-20th century. She has reissued her memoir, Little Satchmo: Living in the Shadow of My Father, Louis Daniel Armstrong, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the jazz legend's birth.

The book was first self-published in 2012, 41 years after Armstrong's death. The original text has been updated for the new release by St. Petersburg Press. Preston-Folta cited the anniversary as a compelling reason to revisit the story. She noted that the timing allowed her to tie the publication to a documentary film adaptation that aired on PBS and won a Southeastern Emmy Award.

The memoir details the relationship between Preston-Folta, born on June 24, 1955, and Armstrong. Her mother, Lucille

Sweets

Preston, was a vaudeville dancer who performed with Armstrong at the Cotton Club in Harlem. The two began a relationship in the early 1950s, during which Armstrong was married to his fourth wife, also named Lucille.

Armstrong never publicly acknowledged Preston-Folta as his daughter. However, he maintained a private connection. He directed his manager to send monthly support payments and visited the family when his schedule allowed. In 1962, he purchased a house for them in Mount Vernon, New York. Preston-Folta described this as the 12th year of the affair.

The family kept the parentage secret for decades. Preston-Folta collected artifacts from her father, including cards, letters, signed photographs, and cassette tapes. In one letter included in the book, Armstrong referred to himself as

ol Satchmo

and promised to cover her college education once she finished high school.

Preston-Folta said the secrecy created a sense of shame in her childhood. She recalled comparing herself to other families and feeling out of place. She described the process of writing the book as cathartic.

The universal story is forgiveness, and owning the experience without the shame,

she said. She added that moving on required letting go of the anger she carried in her 20s and 30s.