Remembering Dorothy Dandridge
Remembering Dorothy Dandridge
Photo Credit:
During black history month, we often focus on the legacy of black people who have broken boundaries in various industries. In 2002, Halle Berry became the first black woman to receive an Oscar for Best Actress. Viola Davis became the first black woman to receive an Emmy, Oscar and a Tony Award.
However, before this all happened, in 1954, Dorothy Dandridge was the first black person to be nominated for a leading role at the Academy Award. She was both a singer and an actress. When she was young, she started a singing group with her sister.
They performed on and off but eventually parted ways after the Great Depression. Later on, they regrouped and Dandridge started getting attention. During her …show more content…
After playing roles in Four Shall Die and Tarzan’s Peril, her career started to rise. She became the cover of Ebony magazine which gave her a reputation as a sex symbol.
Dandridge’s first starring role was in Bright Road as Jane Richards. She proceeded to work on another film called Carmen Jones which features an all-black cast. Dandridge’s portrayal earned her an Oscar nomination.
The film was a musical. However, her voice was dubbed by Marilyn Horne’s because the producers thought her voice wasn’t operatic enough. Nevertheless, she had an outstanding performance.
Her rise to stardom continued to peak. By this time, she was now considered as a successful actress and singer. She became the first black person to make it on the cover of Life magazine.
Dandridge was nominated along with Judy Garland, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Jane Wyman. Grace Kelly took home the much-coveted prize but Dandridge made history as the first black woman to be nominated at the Academy Awards.
As of today, there are only 11 black women who were nominated in the Academy Award’s Best Actress category. Dandridge paved way for these black actresses and we should honor her achievements. Her fight against black stereotypes even makes us respect her
Photo Credit:
During black history month, we often focus on the legacy of black people who have broken boundaries in various industries. In 2002, Halle Berry became the first black woman to receive an Oscar for Best Actress. Viola Davis became the first black woman to receive an Emmy, Oscar and a Tony Award.
However, before this all happened, in 1954, Dorothy Dandridge was the first black person to be nominated for a leading role at the Academy Award. She was both a singer and an actress. When she was young, she started a singing group with her sister.
They performed on and off but eventually parted ways after the Great Depression. Later on, they regrouped and Dandridge started getting attention. During her …show more content…
After playing roles in Four Shall Die and Tarzan’s Peril, her career started to rise. She became the cover of Ebony magazine which gave her a reputation as a sex symbol.
Dandridge’s first starring role was in Bright Road as Jane Richards. She proceeded to work on another film called Carmen Jones which features an all-black cast. Dandridge’s portrayal earned her an Oscar nomination.
The film was a musical. However, her voice was dubbed by Marilyn Horne’s because the producers thought her voice wasn’t operatic enough. Nevertheless, she had an outstanding performance.
Her rise to stardom continued to peak. By this time, she was now considered as a successful actress and singer. She became the first black person to make it on the cover of Life magazine.
Dandridge was nominated along with Judy Garland, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Jane Wyman. Grace Kelly took home the much-coveted prize but Dandridge made history as the first black woman to be nominated at the Academy Awards.
As of today, there are only 11 black women who were nominated in the Academy Award’s Best Actress category. Dandridge paved way for these black actresses and we should honor her achievements. Her fight against black stereotypes even makes us respect her