Legendary actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee has passed away. Her acting career spanned seven decades: Ms. Dee joined the American Negro Theater as an apprentice, working with Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, and Hilda Simms. She made several appearances on Broadway, & received national recognition for her role in the 1950 film The Jackie Robinson Story. In 1965, Dee performed in lead roles at the American Shakespeare Festival as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew and Cordelia in King Lear, becoming the first black actress to portray a lead role in the festival. Dee -- often with her late husband, Ossie Davis -- was a force to be reckoned with in both the performing arts community and the civil rights movement. She and Ossie Davis were master and mistress of ceremonies at the 1963 March on Washingon. Ms. Dee was friends with both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. She died in her home in New Rochelle, surrounded by friends and family. washingtonpost/entertainment/celebrities/ruby-dee-actress-and-civil-rights-activist-dies-at-89/2014/06/12/d4c3e4d2-f250-11e3-9ebc-2ee6f81ed217_story.html #CivilRights #OscarNominee #Oscars #Broadway #RubyDee #Shakespeare #NewRochelle #NewYork #MartinLutherKing #MalcomX #JackieRobinson #TamingOfTheShrew #actress #actor #MarchOnWashington #BlackHistory #AfricanAmerican #KnowYourHistory #history
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 21:01:59 +0000
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