November 13, 1955 Caryn Elaine Johnson (Whoopi Goldberg), actress, comedienne and activist, was born in New York City. In 1983, Goldberg created “The Spook Show”, a one woman show which ran on Broadway for 156 sold out performances and won her the 1985 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One Person Show. In 1985, she made […]
Tag Archives | Academy Award
November 8th in African American History – Alfre Ette Woodard
November 8, 1952 Alfre Ette Woodard, film and television actress, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Woodard’s film appearances include “Cross Creek” (1983), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, “Star Trek: First Contact” (1996), and “Down in the Delta” (1998). She has also appeared in a number of television […]
October 26th in African American History – Hattie McDaniel
October 26, 1952 Hattie McDaniel, the first Black performer to win an Academy Award, died. McDaniel was born June 10, 1895 in Wichita, Kansas. She was a professional singer/songwriter, comedienne, stage and movie actress, and radio performer. Over the course of her career she appeared in more than 300 films, often portraying a maid. In […]
September 25th in African American History – Willard Christopher “Will” Smith
September 25, 1968 Willard Christopher “Will” Smith, rapper, actor and film producer, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While still in his teens, he began rapping and collaborating with Jeff Townes and “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince” was born. The combination was a hip-hop hit during the 1980s and early 1990s creating such songs […]
September 14th in African American History – Beau Richards
September 14, 2000 Beau Richards, stage, film and television actress died. Born Beulah Richardson on July 12, 1920 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Richards graduated from Dillard University in 1948 and two years later moved to New York. Her career started to take off in 1955 with her appearance in the off-Broadway production of “Take a Giant […]
September 13th in African American History – Tupac Amaru Shakur
September 13, 1996 Tupac Amaru Shakur, hip hop rapper and actor, died as the result of a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Shakur was born June 16, 1971 in New York City and was named after Tupac Amaru II, a Peruvian revolutionary who led an indigenous uprising against Spain and was subsequently executed. In 1986, […]
Dorothy Jean Dandridge – September 8th in African American History
September 8, 1965 Dorothy Jean Dandridge, singer and actress, was found dead from an overdose of antidepressants. Dandridge was born November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio. As a young child, she and he sister rarely attended school and toured the South with an act called The Wonder Children. Dandridge first appeared on screen in 1935 […]