As SUNY Old Westbury continues to celebrate Black History Month, The Catalyst will shed some light on African American women in Hollywood. These women have faced incredible odds, yet still managed to make history!

    Hattie McDaniel 

Hattie McDaniel was the first black woman to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in her 1940 role as “Mammy” in Gone with the Wind.

                            Dorothy Dandridge 

Dorothy Dandridge was the first black woman nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her starring role in the 1954 film Carmen Jones. She was also the first black woman on the cover of Life Magazine.

Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters was the first black woman to be nominated for an Emmy. She was nominated for her guest appearance on an episode of the 1960’s TV show Route 66.

Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll was the first black actress to star in her own TV series, Julia in 1968. It was one of the first non-domestic roles for a black actress and led her to win a Golden Globe in 1968 and receive an Emmy nomination in 1969.

Josephine Baker 

Josephine Baker was the first black woman to star in a major Hollywood film, Zouzou, in 1934. She refused to perform for segregated audiences in America  despite being an in-demand performer.

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt was the first black woman to play the role of “Catwoman” in any of the film or TV adaptations of the Batman comic book franchise in the 1960’s. As a singer, she was recognized for her unique singing and speaking style, along with her personality.

Cicely Tyson 

Cicely Tyson was the first black actress to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a TV Movie for her role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman in 1974. She was also the oldest actress to win a Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in 2013 for her role in the play The Trip to Bountiful.

All of the obstacles these women faced and overcame made them who they were: legends, icons, and inspirations to black women around the world.