Louis Armstrong's will said he had no children, his widow's nieces contested her will, and his letter called a girl born in 1955 his "Little Satchmo"

Louis Armstrong left $5,000 each to his sister and his cousin and the rest to his widow, Lucille. When his manager Joe Glaser died, Armstrong took full ownership of International Music Group, which held his publishing, and his wealth rose from about $500,000 to about $1 million. Armstrong's will stated he had no children. Lucille signed an affidavit saying the same^†. On 2 August 1955 Armstrong wrote to Glaser from Las Vegas about a baby girl born on 24 June 1955 to Lucille "Sweets" Preston. He called her his "Little Satchmo" and said he had told his wife. The girl, Sharon Preston-Folta, received nothing. Her mother never pressed a claim in probate. Lucille Armstrong died in 1983. Her will left her Queens house to New York City for a museum and the rest to the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. Two nieces, Elizabeth Rolle and Barbara Swift, contested it, alleging undue influence and improper signing, since one witness was not in the room. They settled for $5,000 each. The foundation's royalties run $150,000 to $250,000 a year. Preston-Folta published her memoir in 2012. In 2026 the foundation still holds the royalties, and the estate has not recognized her^†.