Racism was rampant in the film industry in the 19th and 20th centuries. Most black actresses were seldom allowed to be on screen, but against all odds, some of them successfully forged a path for other black women to follow.
With all their efforts to climb the ladder in filmography, we must give our recognition and honor to some of the black beauties of the ’60s.
But who are the legendary black actresses that left a trademark in the film industry in the ’60s?
Here is an overview of the most famous black actresses during this era.
1. Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll was an American singer, model, activist, and actress with much more to offer. As an actress, she was a major figure in the Golden Age of Hollywood. She rose to prominence in the major studio films that featured black casts.
She performed in the famous 1961 film Paris Blues and the 1968 film The Split, among others.
She won a Tony Award in 1962 and a Golden Globe Award in 1968 and was nominated five times in the Emmy Award nominations.
Though she is no more, she made a mark in the film industry that many black actors honor.
2. Nichelle Nicholas
Nichelle Nicholas was an American singer, dancer, and actress. As an actor, she appeared on stage in both film and television.
Her acting breakthrough came in 1961 when she appeared in The Kicks and Co, Oscar Brown’s ill-fated but highly rooted film.
She appeared in countless films, including The Rear of Greasepaint, and received high praise for her role in Blue for Mister Charlie.
On television, she was featured as a guest actress for The Lieutenant series of 1964, dealing with racial prejudice, where she left a mark as a black actress.
3. Ruth De Souza
Ruth Pinto de Souza, professionally known as Ruth de Souza, was a Brazilian actress who aged gracefully at the height of her career in the film industry.
She was a member of the Black Experimental Theatre and the first black actress in Brazil’s dramatic theater.
She featured in countless films in 1960, including Macumba Love, Bruma Seca, and Favela as Cariocas of 1966.
4. Ethel Waters
Ethel Waters was an American actress and singer famous in the film industry and television movies.
She was the first African American to star in her TV show, the second African American nominated for the Academy Award, and the first African American nominated for a Primetime Award.
She left a mark in the 1961 film Route 66 and the 1969 film The Hollywood Palace.
5. Pearl Bailey
Pearl Mae Bailey was an American author, singer, and actress. She featured in the all-black production Hello Dolly of 1968, which saw her win a special Tony Award for her title role.
She also gained a Daytime Emmy Award for her role in the ABC Afterschool special for her role as fairy godmother, among other achievements.
6. Dorothy Dandridge
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was an American singer and actress and the first African American film star nominated for the Best Actress award for the Academy Award.
In the film industry, Dorothy is known for her 1960 film Malaga, 1961 The Murder Men, and 1962 Cain’s Hundred.
She also acted in many television series, including The Ed Sullivan and Juke Box Jury of 1964.
7. Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Keith, famously known as Eartha Kitt, was an American actress and singer who began her career in the 40s.
She left a mark in the film industry and was famous for her roles in the 1961 Saint of Devil’s Island, 1965 Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and Synanon, to name a few.
She was featured on television in the film I Spy in 1965 and Mission Impossible as Tina Maria in 1967.
8. Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was famous by her stage name, Lena Horne, an American dancer, actress, and civil rights activist. Her career spanned over seven decades, appearing in theater, television, and film.
She left her footprints in several films, including the 1969 Death of a Gunfighter. She won countless accolades and was nominated several times for different awards.
9. Gloria Hendry
Gloria Hendry is a former model and American actress. In the late ’60s, Gloria received her first acting role in the film for Love of Ivy, where she served as a cocktail waitress. That brought her recognition, and she was featured in several other films afterward.
10. Barbara McNair
Barbara Jean McNair was an American actress and singer featured in television, theater, and film, and her acting career spanned over five decades.
She featured in the 1963 film Spencer’s Mountain, 1968 If He Hollers, Let Him Go, and in 1969, she featured in four films, namely Stileto, Venus in Furs, The Lonely Profession and Change of Habit and that saw her climb up the ladder in filmography.
Also Check:
Top 13 Black Actresses Over 70 You Need To Know
15 Best Black Actresses of the 1970s and Where They Are Today
10 Gifted Young Black Actresses Under 15 You Need to Know About
The journey of being a black actress in a white-dominated world is hard and long. However, the above 10 actresses dominated the 60s and left a trademark for other black actresses to emulate. And though nearly all of them are gone, we hold them in high esteem for representing the black community.
