Duncan performed the song "
Strange Fruit" (music and lyrics by
Abe Meeropol) at
Madison Square Garden in
New York City in 1938. In that revue, she sang "
Mad About the Boy", which
Billboard predicted would "undoubtedly be the hit of the revue". In 1940, she appeared in the musical revue '
Tis of Thee at
Maxine Elliott in New York, in which she sang "After Tonight". Duncan appeared in the 1941 revue
Talk out Loud at Unity House in Forest Park, Pennsylvania.
Variety wrote, "Laura Duncan's masterly presentation of her vocal assignments should cause no doubt in any auditor's mind that here is another click". The show was reviewed more negatively by the
New York Daily News when it reached Broadway. A 1942 performance in a nightclub,
Village Vanguard, earned her a mixed reception from
Variety: "Laura Duncan, colored chanteuse, shows the greatest evidence of inexperience. She has a fine, sweet set of pipes, but must be careful in choice of numbers. She's strong on the blues stuff, but weak on a comedy novelty she tries to sell. One of the 'Adam and Eve' Biblical things, it's strictly the cob, particularly as she does it. Gal also should take greater care in obtaining an attractive hair-do and dress. She looks well-groomed, but too sedate, requiring something more striking. She's a strong possibility, though, with a proper break-in." Duncan appeared in the 1942 revue ''It's About Time'' at the
Barbizon-Plaza. "Laura Duncan, a very pretty but inhibited Negro girl, sings and she [and] Al Moss do nicely in his song, 'Haunted Heart.'" Duncan performed at nineteenth annual Lenin Memorial Rally at Madison Square Garden again. She sang the song "Dive Bomber, Dive Low". She appeared on two 1944 episodes of the radio program
Columbia Presents Corwin: "The Lonesome Train" and "Dorie Got a Medal". Duncan was politically active. She appeared in the revue ''FDR's Bandwagon'' in 1944. She participated with
Pete Seeger and others in events associated with the
Progressive Party campaign in the
1948 United States presidential election and in the
People's Artists movement. ==References==