Thompson was well known in her time as a singing and dancing star of sideshows, circuses and later, black vaudeville in a career that lasted nearly four decades.

Noted for her diminutive height, Williams transitioned from being a sideshow act to a reputable tap dancer and singer, later performing for two US Presidents and European royalty.

[5] Harriet Thompson quickly headed to New York and began appearing at Madison Square Garden[6] and at the Dreamland Circus Sideshow on Coney Island.

[10][11] She was said to be afraid of children, but perfectly comfortable with the menagerie of the circus, pictured atop the exhibition's resident elephant.

[9] From 1908 to 1909, Thompson was showcased in an exhibition of the Congress of the World's Greatest Curiosities alongside "Jolly Trixie the Queen of Fatland" for an admission price of 10 cents.

[12] While at Coney Island, she sold carte-de-viste featuring a picture of herself dressed in an elegant evening gown and accompanied by her manager, showcasing her small stature.

"[14] By the time the Dreamland Amusement park burned down, Thompson had begun taking her sideshow act on the road.

In 1910 she was a featured performer for Patterson Amusements as the bride of "Hop the Frog Boy" touring fair grounds around the United States.

[20] While a performer with the circus it was reported she married William Matthews, a singer from Newark, New Jersey, who stood four foot ten.

[22] That year, James Wolfscale organized a travelling show for the vaudeville circuit to run during the circus's off season.

[33] In the 1930s, she toured as a featured performer with Essie and Alice Whitman in shows across the United States, including at New York's Apollo Theater.