If you're black in America, race is a factor in your life. Start with that assumption.
You know, the period of World War I and the Roaring Twenties were really just about the same as today. You worked, and you made a living if you could, and you tired to make the best of things. For an actor or a dancer, it was no different then than today. It was a struggle.
German and English firms operate internationally, while French firms do not. The only place where they all have work is in China. Anybody can sell himself in China!