Hazel Scott was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on June 11, 1920 and raised in New York City from the age of four. Scott was a child prodigy enrolling as a private student at Julliard by the time she was eight and performing concerts shortly thereafter. She was known for improvising on classical themes and also played bebop, blues, and ballads. She was the first African American woman to have her own television show, "The Hazel Scott Show". However, she publicly opposed McCarthyism and racial segregation, and the show was cancelled in 1950 when she was accused of being a Communist sympathizer. It is sad that Scott is not better known in the jazz and music world who was a pioneer in African American culture.
Hazel Scott with fellow bombshell Lena Horne
In this clip from the movie Rhapsody In Blue (1945) Hazel Scott's nearly six minute cameo showcases her exceptional range as a vocalist and pianist.
Be Amazed!
Dancer, singer, actress, and civil rights activist Lena Horne, was born today June 30th, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. Before going on to win acclaim and awards for her artistry, she began in the 1930’s as a member of the chorus line for Harlem’s famed Cotton Club, and soon won the feature role in the Cotton Club Parade. Her singing ability and beauty caught the attention of MGM in 1938. Faced with theprejudice of the film industry (and the nation), many of her film sequences had nothing to do with the storylines—making them disposable when shown in highly prejudice southern states.
By the 1950s, Horne was blacklisted and gave up on the film industry; she decided to focus on the nightclub scene. Quite the civil rights activist, she was politically involved with the NAACP. Horne continued her career through various variety shows and sitcoms, but found her most prized work in 1980 when she opened her own one-woman show, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. For this she won not only two Grammy’s, but also a Special Tony Award. In 1989 she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. No where near the end of her achievements, she continued to create music and make appearances until she met the end of her life on May 9th, 2010. Lena Horne leaves a long-lasting legacy. The rhythm and beat of her spirit will live on.
A sultry singer, dancer and actress who rose from South Carolina cotton fields to become an international symbol of elegance and sensuality. Her unusual voice graced the ears of many in the widely known song “Santa Baby”, and she left lasting impressions on people with her role as the Catwoman. Her unique persona earned her fans and fame quickly, including Orson Welles, who called her “the most exciting woman in the world”. She was also a very outspoken individual, which at sometimes proved to be detrimental to her career. In 1968, Kitt was invited to a White House luncheon and was asked by Lady Bird Johnson about the Vietnam War. She replied:
"You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed....They rebel in the street. They don't want to go to school because they're going to be snatched off from their mothers to be shot in Vietnam."
Publicly ostracized in the US, she devoted her energies to performances in Europe and Asia. Kitt died from colon cancer on Christmas Day, 2008 at her Weston, Connecticut home. Kitt was outspoken, trend setting, vibrant, unique, sexy, intelligent, and talented. This combination is role model for performers.
The best Cat Woman in my opinion. Prrrrr.....
Before Halle Berry, Beyonce Knowles, and so many others, there was Dorothy Dandridge. The original triple threat, she danced, sang, acted and became a household name. Despite the cruelty of racism in every area of America, Dandridge rose above and paved the way for every single person of color in the entertainment industry. She was the first African-American woman to be nominated for a best actress Oscar, she demanded the same salary as White actresses, she graced the cover of Life magazine in 1955 and refused to play a slave in films.
As a result of Dandridge’s refusal to portray stereotypical black characters she had trouble finding film roles that suited her talents. Her only other great film was 1959’s Porgy and Bess, in which she played Bess opposite Sidney Poitier . She appeared in several poorly received racially and sexually charged dramas such as, Tamango (1959). As her film career failed, Dandridge began drinking heavily and taking antidepressants. The threat of bankruptcy and nagging problems with the IRS forced her to resume her nightclub career, but she found only a fraction of her former success. Relegated to second-rate lounges and stage productions, Dandridge's financial situation grew worse and worse. Dandridge soon suffered a nervous breakdown. On September 8, 1965, she was found dead in her Hollywood home, an apparent suicide from a drug overdose. Though her life ended at the age of 42, her contributions to film and stage are still evident today.
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