Ella Jenkins was born on August 6th, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri, and will have her 100th birthday later this year. To honor her centennial, Smithsonian Folkways is planning reissues, tributes, and archival releases to celebrate her legacy as the “First lady of children’s music.” One of the most iconic folk musicians of the 20th century, in general, Ella pioneered the call-and-response, “first me and now you” style of singing that’s become a staple of children’s music and early childhood education overall.