Mildred Hull - affectionately known as Millie - was New York City’s first female tattooer.
Born in 1897, Millie dropped out of school at the age of 13 to join the circus, and eventually found work as a burlesque dancer. Upon discovering that she could earn a greater living in the circus as a tattooed lady, Millie sought out legendary Bowery tattooer Charlie Wagner, who covered Millie’s entire body in tattoos in a matter of weeks. Reflecting on the process in an interview, Millie stated that she “had a few weak spells as a result of the tattooing, but mainly […] suffered anemia of the bankroll.”
Inspired by her experience with Charlie Wagner, Millie went on to learn to tattoo under Wagner himself, opening her own shop on the Bowery in the late 1930s. Millie’s closet-sized Tattoo Emporium, located in the back of a barbershop, swiftly grew into one of the most prominent shops on the Bowery during the early 20th century.
