September 11, 1942 Loletha Elaine “Lola” Falana, dancer, singer and actress, was born in Camden, New Jersey. Falana was dancing by the age of 3, singing in the church choir at 5, and dancing in nightclubs while she was still in junior high school. She made her Broadway debut in the 1964 musical “Golden Boy” […]
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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 […]
Anika Noni Rose – September 6th in African American History
September 6, 1972 Anika Noni Rose, stage, film and television actress and singer, was born in Bloomfield, Connecticut. After graduating from Florida A&M University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre, Rose made her professional stage debut in 1998 in “Valley Song”. In 2001, she won an OBIE Award for her performance in the off-Broadway production […]
William Everett “Billy” Preston – September 2nd in African American History
September 2, 1946 William Everett “Billy” Preston, rhythm and blues singer and musician, was born in Houston, Texas. Preston began playing the piano at age three and by the age of ten was performing in the bands of gospel greats Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland, and Andrae Crouch. At the age of 12, he appeared in […]