Legendary comedian Moms Mabley, born Loretta Mabley Aiken, was born on March 19, 1897, in Brevard, North Carolina.

Once dubbed “the funniest woman in the world,” Mabley is remembered for being one of the most successful entertainers on the vaudeville “chitlin circuit.” She began her career performing in minstrel shows and soon began performing her own stand-up comedy routines, with a persona loosely based on her grandmother, who was a slave.

Mabley was the first female comedian to ever perform at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and during her long career, she recorded two dozen comedy albums and appeared in a  number of films.

She died in 1975 at age 81.

BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter. 
Get ready for the BET Experience, featuring Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, R. Kelly, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar and many more. Go here for more details and info on how to buy tickets.

(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)