Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American actress and popular singer, and was the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.In 1951 Dandridge had a successful run in the nightclub circuit as a solo singer, which eventually lead to her becoming an international star and performing at luxurious venues all over the world. She won her first starring film role in 1953’s Bright Road, opposite of Harry Belafonte.
Her next role was the eponymous lead in Carmen Jones in 1954 which lead to Dandridge becoming the first African-American to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 1955, she was featured on the cover of Life magazine, and was treated like visiting royalty at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Following the success of Carmen Jones, Hollywood filmmakers could not seem to create a suitable role for the light-skinned Dandridge, and her career began to decline until her untimely death on September 8, 1965 of an accidental drug overdose.
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by @Jetsetting_Ju
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