Actress

Graves (1948-2002) made television history as the first Black woman to star in her own dramatic TV series when she played undercover police officer Christie Love in Get Christie Love! (1974-1975).1 After achieving success in both comedy (as a regular performer on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In) and drama, she left Hollywood in the mid-1970s to devote herself to her religious faith as a Jehovah's Witness.

Lawrence Vonetta McGee (1945-2010) was a trailblazing film and television actress who rose to fame during the Blaxploitation film period.

Allen (1950) is an actress, choreographer, director, producer, and founder of a performing arts academy. The TV series "Fame" (1982-1987) marked her entertainment breakthrough when she both played dance teacher Lydia Grant and choreographed the series. She also received three Golden Globe nominations and one win for Best Actress for her role in 'Fame.' She also earned multiple Emmy Award nominations, winning five, and making history as the first Black woman to receive the Emmys' prestigious Governors Award for significant contributions to television.

Kitt (1927-2008) rose from poverty in South Carolina, where she lived with relatives, to attend the High School of Performing Arts in New York before launching her career with Katherine Dunham's dance company. She became an international star renowned for her distinctive purring voice, feline grace, and multilingual performances, establishing herself as a symbol of seduction and sophistication with hits like "Santa Baby" (1953) and "C'est Si Bon." Her diverse career spanned Broadway, film, and television, including her memorable role as Catwoman in the 1960s Batman series. Kitt's career faced a significant setback in 1968 when her anti-Vietnam War statements at a White House luncheon led to CIA surveillance and an effective blacklisting in the U.S., though she later triumphantly returned to Broadway and television.

A quadruple threat as an actress, singer, dancer, and director, Guy's dynamic career spans from her early days as a dancer for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to her continued work in television and film. Her versatility is evident in her two albums (Jasmine Guy and Try Me), Broadway performances in Grease!, Leader of the Pack, The Wiz, Dancin' in the Street, Bubbling Brown Sugar, and Chicago, and roles in Spike Lee's School Daze, Harlem Nights, Stompin' at the Savoy, and The Vampire Diaries.

McDaniel (1895-1952) was the first Black person to win an Academy Award, receiving the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind" (1939). Despite her groundbreaking achievement, she faced significant racial discrimination throughout her career: She was barred from the film's premiere at the whites-only Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta and was forced to sit at a segregated table in a side room during the Academy Awards ceremony.

Caroroll (1935-2019) was an actress and the first Black woman to earn an Emmy nomination (1969).

The Voice!

Luna (1945-1979) was the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue Magazine when, in 1966, she appeared on the cover of British Vogue.

Entertainer

Singer and Actress

Dandridge (1922-1965) was an actress and singer, known for her remarkable performances in films such as "Carmen Jones" (1954) and "Porgy and Bess" (1959). Dandridge's portrayal of the title role in "Carmen Jones" earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, making her the first African American woman to be nominated in this category. Ironically, Halle Berry, who later became the first African American woman to win the Academy Award for Best Actress (2001), portrayed Dandridge in the HBO biopic "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" (1999), paying tribute to the iconic actress's life and legacy.

Actress, comedian, author, singer, and host, Goldberg (1955) was the first Black woman to earn EGOT status (2002)—winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award.