Daniel Haynes is best remembered for his portrayal of the preacher in the 1929 film Hallelujah, one of the earliest Hollywood films to examine black culture in America. Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1894, Haynes made his screen debut as a bit player in the … Read MoreDaniel Haynes (1894-1954)
In an era when both movies and audiences were segregated, Lorenzo Tucker became African America’s leading man. Tucker was born in Philadelphia in 1907 to parents John and Virginia Lee Tucker. Lorenzo Tucker studied photography in trade school and briefly attended Temple University, where he … Read MoreLorenzo Tucker (1907-1986)
Leigh Whipper, the first black member of the Actors’ Equity Association (1913), was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1876. His father, William James Whipper, was a Civil War Veteran from Connecticut who settled in South Carolina during the Reconstruction period and became an attorney … Read MoreLeigh Whipper (1876-1975)
George Nash Walker was born in 1873 in Lawrence, Kansas. He left at a young age to follow his dream of becoming a stage performer and toured with a traveling group of minstrels. After performing at shows and fairs across the country, Walker met Bert … Read MoreGeorge Walker (1873-1911)
Composer, actor, and pioneer in his field, John Rosamond Johnson was one of the most successful of the early African American composers. Born on August 11, 1873 in Jacksonville, Florida, Johnson was the younger brother of prominent composer and civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson. … Read MoreJ. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954)
Calloway Jr. and Martha Eulalia Reed in Rochester, New York. Calloway was raised in Baltimore, Maryland and in high school he sung with a group called the Baltimore Melody Boys. Calloway attended Crane College in Chicago for pre-law but soon abandoned his studies for a … Read MoreCab Calloway (1907-1994)
Award winning actor James Earl Jones was born Todd Jones on January 17, 1931 in Arkabutla Township, Tate County, Mississippi. His father, Robert Earl Jones, an actor, boxer, butler and chauffeur, deserted the family and young Todd, at age of five moved from his mother’s … Read MoreJames Earl Jones (1931- )
Legendary entertainer Pearl Mae Bailey was born on March 29, 1918 in Southamption County, Virginia to Rev. Joseph and Ella Mae Bailey. She grew up in Newport News, Virginia. Bailey began her acting and singing career early at the age of 15 with her debut … Read MorePearl Mae Bailey (1918-1990)
John W. Cooper was an African American ventriloquist, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1873. After losing both of his parents at a very young age, Cooper received his education at Professor Dorsey’s Institute in Brooklyn. There he developed into a budding entertainer and took … Read MoreJohn W. Cooper (1873-1966)
Douglas Turner Ward, an actor, director, and playwright, was considered a legend in African American theatre. Although he has achieved much during his lifetime, his co-founding of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) in 1968 ranks as his greatest achievement. NEC has spawned over 200 productions … Read MoreDouglas Turner Ward (1930- )
