Thank you for posting this tribute, I have often wondered what my cousin Suzette Harbin looked like. I have heard lots about her growing up, now I can put a face on the stories.... thanks again~B HARBIN-BOLTON!
The main reason that these black women didn't get the recognition that they so rightly deserved back then, is because they were TOO beautiful and of course the white media couldn't have us black women with our sexy curves, lucious lips, and perfect skin tones of various shades, outshine their white women, so they put the overweight, sexless, MAMMY in the spotlight instead of the black beauties, and that's a FACT.
@Magic9053 I don't know why you removed your comment, but you were quite right. They wanted the mammy type back in those days and they didn't want beautiful black women to outshine the white women.
Thank you, thank you for including in this fine tribute my great aunt Ruby Hill, leading lady of the Broadway show St. Louis Woman. She would be so proud and honored.
Josephine Baker has been an inspriation throughout my life... and always think of her as a great "Banana" dancer and all those children she took under her wing.. these women should of been at least reconized today for all their great achivements!!! an still today black women are great achievers... Love them all
@Oyin26 Her name is Etta Moten, she did voice overs for white actresses and also appeared on screen. If you google her so info may come up on her. If you want the titles of the films, I can give it to you.
omg ! yes , that one magazine said ARE NEGRO WOMAN BECOMING SEXY ? THEY BEEN SEXY WANT YOU THINK THE WHITE MAN WANTED THEM THEY KNEW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING AND HAD THAT BOMB , LOOKI8NG LIKE A SLAVE WASN'T IT , WASH BATH IT ATTENDED TOO LIKE THE WHITE WOMAN AND YOU SHALL SEE WHAT WAS THERE ALL THE TIME ...BROWN SUGAR
omg ! yes , that one magazine said ARE NEGRO WOMAN BECOMING SEXY ? THEY BEEN SEXY WANT YOU THINK THE WHITE MAN WANTED THEM THEY KNEW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING AND HAD THAT BOMB , LOOKI8NG LIKE A SLAVE WASN'T IT , WASH BATH IT ATTENDED TOO LIKE THE WHITE WOMAN AND YOU SHALL SEE WHAT WAS THERE ALL THE TIME ...BROWN SUGAR
@MusicandDancing4Ever or maybe you just don't like lighter-skinned people and want to exclude them from the black race. There are lighter-skinned Africans, some with red hair, who clearly aren't mixed. Biracial people aren't the only ones who are lighter-tone. A person can be mixed and come out brown, would you call them biracial? What would you call our president, since you call some of these women biracial?
@myrna2381 If you look up what black means, it means a mixture of everything. There's more then color that makes you black. Most blacks in america ain't 100% black, so should we get rid of the black race, and call it biracial or multi-generational biracial? Look at Michael Jackson family, some of his siblings were dark, brown, and one came out real light which was Latoya Jackson, should she be called biracial, and not black like her brothers and sisters that came from the same parents?
@myrna2381 Exactly, it matters what they are, and they were black and saw themselves as black, and that's all that matters. Some did have white and indian ancestry, but they were raised within the black culture and community, they identifed more with the black race. Whites surely wouldn't accept them then, that's why they came up with the one drop of black blood rule, so why whites want to accept them now? biracial or not, they still got some black in them, so that makes them apart of the race.
@myrna2381 and what makes them biracial to you? how do biracial look? and how do black look? I would love to hear how you stereotype what's black and not. You may call them whatever you like but these women lived as black and was proud to, also society gave them no choice, and they struggled through racism and inequality just like blacks, so to me they are black, and they contributed a lot to black history, so to me they are apart of the black race. You should read Isabel Washington Powells book
@myrna2381 Some of these women didn't want to be seen as nothing but black, and I will respect their wishes. Most? no I would say some, half and half, may have some white or Indian ancestry, but most blacks do.
It is more than obvious that the skin tone in all of these women has been altered. Let's keep in mind that the media loves to "lighten" up dark skin and this can even be seen today. Heaven forbid that any one think brown skin is appealing, attractive, etc. particularly back then. Kudos to them all for persevering the storm!
@tonkali You are so right. Thanks for being smart enough to see that. A lot of black women were lighten in films and photos back then. I can only think of a few times a lighter woman was darken. Its ashame that people base beauty on color. Beauty is beauty, color shouldn't matter, because beauty is in the features of a person. But unfortunately we live in a society that associates beauty with whiteness and lighter skin.
@tonkali white ppl have always been jealous of color because they have none. but anyway these women and black ppl in general are just brilliant but in this system of white supremacy we have been downplayed
@myrna2381 most black americans are biracial even though it doesn't always show. If they do their genealogy research they will find out that they have more than one race of blood running thru their veins. White america has always said one drop of black blood makes you black. Most of these women have black parents who somewhere in their genealogy had a grandparent that was other than black. And the gene carries on.
@Tiny1bme couldn't have said it better myself. To me what makes them black is that's what their culture was and how they were raised, and their experiences were very black related. They suffer some the same injustices and prejudices that other blacks did.
@myrna2381 Most of these women descend from Black families of mixed bloodlines. "Biracial" is a brand-new concept that was irrelevant back then and still is to many. The basic point is, regardless of their complexions, they were members of the Black community. Why? Because most Black people are of mixed background at some level.
Some one please tell me whats the difference? dark or light brown these women were/r n always will be some of the most beautifull women in the world, I only wish i was around when they were. god bless them all. thank you 4 the video.
@angelawahlstrom thank you, that's what I say whats the difference. I guess color is still a big issue within the black race. I realize certain colors are looked at as more beautiful or acceptance, but this isn't what my video was about. I joined women of all complexions and styles together to show the diversity of black women. These women had beauty, class, and style, and tried to pave the women for the future generation. They had their ups and downs, but they stayed true to who they were.
Some one please tell me whats the difference? dark or light brown these women were/r n always will be some of the most beautifull women in the world, I only wish i was around when they were. god bless them all.
I suppose you are correct. I didn't factor in black and white pictures and I'll take your word for it as I know very few of these women. Of the few that I know Pearl Bailey is the darkest. I'll do more research next time. I love women of all shades. I was just commenting and I didn't mean to offend you. I guess it is easier to defend than say, thank you. After all, I did commend you on a beautiful collage. ;)
These women are stunning! I sure cannot take anything away from them. I know that beauty is subjective and these women are beautiful, talented and intelligent, but I also find darker women attractive and these women are very fair skinned. Pearl Bailey might have been the darkest woman in this video. You did a great job though. Well done!
@pheelme Pearl Bailey wasn't the darkest. There was Betti Mays at 0:18 who was brown, Hazel Scott at 0:43 who was brown, Joyce Bryant at 0:46 was darker-skinned, Margaret Whitten at 0:48 was brown, Etta Rae at 1:23 was brown, Suzette Harbin at 1:32 was brown, Victoria Spivey at 1:39 was darker-skinned, Theresa Harris at 1:41 was brown, Bette McLaurin at 1:46 was brown, Sheila Guyse at 2:20 is brown, Florence Mills, Ethel Waters, Sarah Vaughn, and Maxine Sullivan are brown also.
@MusicandDancing4Ever Back then photos were taken in black and white, and they would make black women appear lighter then what they was, so a lot of these women appear lighter in photos but were actually darker, but what difference does their color make. I included black women of all hues, who lived their lives as black, and had ups and down because of it, but stayed true to who they were. These women are beautiful because they are, color had nothing to do with why I thought they were beautiful
@MusicandDancing4Ever I suppose you are correct. I didn't factor in black and white pictures and I'll take your word for it as I know very few of these women. Of the few that I know Pearl Bailey is the darkest. I'll do more research next time. I love women of all shades. I was just commenting and I didn't mean to offend you. I guess it is easier to defend than say, thank you. After all, I did commend you on a beautiful collage. :)
AMAZING!! Thank You for Sharing this. These women are getting their much deserved recognition through you (Smiles!) I Fav'd this video and will be forwarding it to many of my YT friends, Thx again.
I think you did a great job, thank you so much for this video. It's one of the best ones on youtube. I hadn't heard of Nina Mae Mckinney before, now I want to watch the movie "hallelujah."
dunno if she's here, no names given-why?- but for my money, the best looking of them all was theresa harris, relegated to maid roles mainly. if you have "out of the past" ('47). she's in the scene where mitchum is looking for jane greer. he checks out her maid (of course) in a negro night club. that's harris. also, she's in "horsefeathers" ('32). she's thelma todd's maid in that one. she was a hum-dinger.
@patthecatman if you would have looked and read the title, names are given under the video in the info box, along with the time they appear. Theresa Harris is in this video.
@changeweneed If you're black, and you were born in that era - times would have been unbelievably difficult and quite horrific. I salute those individuals that had no choice but to live through that era of extreme inequality - while still managing to make the best of it, and in many cases thrive.
What a lovely video, the world would be a slightly sadder place but for these ladies. Imagine a world that had never had Ella in it, and that's just one!
MY OPINION...ALL THIS TALK ABOUT BLK WOMEN BACK IN THOSE DAYS TRYING TO BE WHITE WOMEN (IF I READ CORRECTLY) IS COMPLETELY FALSE TO ME. WHTE STILL RAN CLOSELY IN THEIR FAMILIES AND SO THEIR HAIR WAS FINER, AND THEIR SKIN WAS LIGHTER AND THEY COULD PASS FOR WHITE. LIGHTER SKINNED PPL MARRIED WHITE PPL DARKER SKIN PPL MARRIED BLK PPL. IT WASN'T RIGHT BUT THAT'S HOW IT WAS AT TIMES. BACK IN SLAVERY WHEN SLAVES HAD CHILDREN BY THEIR MASTERS IT WAS STILL DOMINANT IN THEIR BLOODLINES, NOT LIKE TODAY.
@LUX3dollfaceLAHbella "LIGHTER SKINNED PPL MARRIED WHITE PPL DARKER SKIN PPL MARRIED BLK PPL." Um, huh? Interracial marriage was illegal in many states prior to the 1960s and even in Northern states, there was a strong societal taboo regarding it. If you're talking about Light-skinned BLACKS, no, most DIDN'T marry Whites. Most married light-skinned and dark-skinned Blacks...members of their own community of varying color.
Thanks so much for the wonderful tribute. You are right, we MUST educate ourselves about who opened the doors and paved the way. It's amazing that many folks do not know who people like Fredi and Isabel Washington and Hazel Scott are.
How do you know about all of these women? Wow! I thought I was a black history whiz until now. Would you happen to know what happened to Pat Rainey? She appears to have gotten into legal trouble over drugs and prostitution and then sort of disappeared from the public after the '50s. I read all about her father but would LOVE to know what became of her! Is she still alive?
I love this video and came here for it. but iif one is to dish it out one must be ready to take it. Women of color use skin bleaching cream, wear hair weaves with european looking hair, sometimes even blond. Also check your statistics on rhinoplasty(nose jobs) many are black women. Look at Pepa, Lil kim,Janet Jackson. No race is immune nor exclusive of this
@MsAdama44 I'm not dishing anything, just making a video about unsung beautiful black women. Just because black women get nose jobs and wear weaves, particularly blonde, doesn't mean they want to be white. I like to wear different hair colors, cause I'm stylish like that. White women are getting lip and booty injections, they wear hair extensions too, you think they wanna be black, no! Every race has some flaws that we want to enhance.
I don't believe black women use surgical or cosmetic alteration to look white. At the same time I don't believe white women use it too look black. Certain physical features are desired in history at certain times and those features or wishing to obtain them is not exclusive to white or black women. And there are many more women world wide than just black and white. Yes thier are Africans with thin noses, but Armanian women are known for healthy backsides. russians for full lips. My point is
@MsAdama44 Most of the reasons why blacks want to lighten their skin and change their noses, is because its mostly their own people making fun of them. I grew up around blacks making fun of other blacks for being darker and for having a larger nose, and we say nothing, but let a white person make fun, we'll raise hell. Black is beautiful, we have a beautiful array of colors/features, and we need to appreciate it. Don't let the outside world influence you, because every race has beauty to offer
@MsAdama44 Don't think only whites have thinner noses. There's Africans with thin noses and thin lips, do don't make the mistake of just associating it with whites, and thinking blacks are the only ones with larger noses. There's Africans with red hair. I feel like this, you can never be white, you can bleach your skin, relax your hair, wear different colors all you want, those things aren't going to make you less black, you can't change your DNA, genes, heredity.
@MsAdama44 Every race has a few bad apples, but don't assume every black person wants to be white or look white. There's black women who wear their hair natural, proud of their unique features, some ignorant blacks make fun of them, but it doesn't faze them. We all just need to accept one another, whether one wants to wear their hair natural or straight or whatever. I don't define blackness by physical features, but by actions.
You cannot deny the fact that one of the methods of dividing black people was through the process of skin coloration. white slavemasters would favor the light black over the darker skin black person,which ultimately create a class structure amongst black people even unto this very day.The fairer skin you are the more marketable you are.yes black women are beautiful of all shades but racism in media defines whats in and what is not.
@christophe1804 Let's not forget some of the lighter-skinned slaves were being abused and raped just like the darker ones, and though they may have been put over darker ones, and placed in the house, whites still didn't view them as equal. Who cares what the white media defines as beauty, people must fight against white superiority, instead of just foolishly going along with it. Get out of the plantation and stop letting whites still dictate to you what is beauty and what is not.
@christophe1804 If lightskin was so marketable how come Fredi Washington, Evelyn Preer, Alice Whitman, Hilda Simms, Ellen Holly had such a hard time. They were told they were too light. Certain lightskin tones were accepted, some weren't. Their color may have been acceptable in a Cotton Club chorus line, but when they tried to go up in the biz, they were denied, while ones like Josephine Baker, Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers, Ethel Waters could find work cause they looked their race.
Dorothy Dandridge was light, but she wasn't as light as Fredi Washington. Dorothy had color in her skin, so her race could be determined, unlike Fredi. Some colors are acceptable, some aren't. Every skin tone of blacks have been attacked. Every black person is going to face some form of racism, no matter their color. It's all apart of the game of racism. Some will be looked at as better then others, but white will always be placed as number one.
Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne both were lightskin. They both faced extreme racism in Hollywood. Their lightskin didn't stop them from facing racism like darker blacks. Dorothy put her toe in a pool, and whites took the water out and put in new water. They didn't think, oh she's lightskin it's okay, no she was still a nigger to them, and Lena Horne was called all kinds of niggers and faced discrimination. Some may think light skin is prettier, but a nigger is a nigger to white racists.
@christophe1804 There were certain whites back in the day that didn't care if you were lighter. They didn't want anyone with negro blood going to certain places and buying property or whatever. There were actual laws that said negroes, mulattoes, octroon, anyone with a drop of black couldn't do certain things. So yes there were incidents where light skin ones were put over darker ones, but the majority of whites treated anyone with black blood in them the same. Watch Pinky and Lost Boundaries.
All blacks need to fight against racism and discrimination when they see it happening. Even if its in their favor. Even if their color is preferred. Sooner or later everyone will face some racism. If we want to progress we need to fight for one another and not look the other way nor should we hate one another because of what whites did back in the day with separting the color. They were only trying to cause friction/mistrust, so we would trust only them, whites felt the same about all of us.
@christophe1804 Racism works in mysterious ways. Look at the Cotton Club chorines, for a long time, only lighter skin women could be in the chorus lines. The club owners wanted black women who looked white for shock factor and to sexually exploit them. They were picked over darker ones, but those same girls had to go out the backdoor and couldn't even sit in the audience to enjoy a show. They were only wanted to entertain whites.and be sex toys to white men, just like slavery time.
@christophe1804 That's how white racism works. Lighter ones may be put over darker blacks, but at the same time they can't have what whites have, cause whites are put over them. I don't want partial freedom, I want complete whole freedom.
@christophe1804 Josephine Baker is another story. She was teased cause she was the darkest girl in the chorus line, but she ended up becoming the international star. The Paris people loved her color. The lighter-skinned girls stayed working in the chorus line making 20 dollars a week. They never reached the top like Josephine, because they were too light. The biggest stars of back then were mostly darker hued and brown skin women. The light skin girls were usually just used for the chorus lines.
@christophe1804 The tables are turning now. You got white women trying to have black features by getting lip injections and booty injections. Obviously their not okay with their looks. Their the majority getting plastic surgery. We are suppose to look like them to be beautiful, but their constantly changing their looks and borrowing from other races. So people of color need to appreciate their beauty, like they did in the 70's, with black is beautiful. Don't let white racism brainwash you.
@christophe1804 Whites made fun of our looks for years, but now their trying to have the same features they made fun of us about. They want the big lips and big butts now.There's an old saying...don't make fun of people cause you might end up just like them.
@MusicandDancing4Ever Let us not forget that the approach that the corset that was worn for over 500 yrs was fitted to accentuate a voluptuous figure such as one that appears fertile,sexually enticing. Read about Sara Bartman. Immitating black people is nothing new. 1700's to early 1900's wearing a tan was classified as uncouthed.It was until CoCo Chanel wore a tan and White folks sighed in relief then it was the thing to do.To them we are the Fear / Fascination to our advantage and our defeat.
@picposter67 no dark-skin women? really? Sarah Vaughn, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey, Sheila Guyse, Dorothy VanEngle, Betti Mays, Etta Rae, Suzette Harbin, Theresa Harris, Hazel Scott, Bette McLaurin, Joyce Bryant, are dark beauties, are you a dummy? don't you have eyes? There's dark, brown, light brown, caramel, honey, yella, and pale skin black beauties in this video. You see some lighter women, so you assume there's no darker women. Pay attention before you make a stupid comment!
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you. It is soo sad. Slavery ended in 1865 but now in 2010 the weakest among black people still fighting among thier own about collor issues. Just can't get up off the plantation. Can't even enjoy a simple documentary w/o mentioning that light skin/dark skin crap. No wonder we haven't made enough progress.
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you. It is soo sad. Slavery ended in 1865 but now in 2010 the weakest among black people still fighting among thier own about color issues. Just can't get up off the plantation. Can't even enjoy a simple documentary w/o mentioning that light skin/dark skin crap. No wonder we haven't made enough progress.
@giftedwoman777 Thanks for being intelligent enough to enjoy this video. You made the most intelligent comment. Its very sad that some blacks are still color struck, when thats not the main issue all the time. Oppression, racism, self-hatred has messed us up, and made us act towards each other like whites have treated us all these years. These beautiful black women suffered injustices, in spite of the color ignorances, we should acknowledge their strength and achievements through such hard times
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you for a well done, informative video. IT celebrated our beauty and our history. I am so tired of black people HIDING BEHIND THIER OWN INSECURITIES, UNCOMFORTABLE W/BEING BLACK and pointing out stupid differences in skin color when people like Rush Limbaugh, Laura Slessinger hate everything about us. This kind of stupidity destroys us within. When will it all end.
This reminds me of looking at my mother's old photos of her and her sisters, back in the day. Use to love to do that. It seems like all them were cute.
Their black because of their struggle and because of the community and culture they were apart of. Its more then just color that makes a person the race they are or chose to be. Look up black, black means all sorts of things, it just doesn't mean the color black. I know a few of these women wouldn't pass for white no matter how they were offered and would cuss you out if you call them other then black. You can call them whatever you like, what they defined themselves as is all that matters
@MusicandDancing4Ever Interesting point. I'm Black & Italian and I consider myself a member of the Black community. "Biracial" is a very new concept and I don't see how an idea of "separation" from the Black community would benefit people of mixed bloodlines at any real social, political, economic level...a community is important, and the Black community has always been ours too.
@Pastorius333 If you think some of these women are biracial then you should look at Ava Gardner, Linda Darnell, and Merle Oberon, classic white actresses who say their white, but they look mix, but don't say that to white people, because it's a no no to be white with black in you and its an insult to even suggest a white has black in them.
@Pastorius333 Funny how you just want to look at their talent, but overlook their achievements and talent, just like a racist. These women had to put up with that while they were alive and its still going on. You say their biracial but white people don't even know them or talk about them. Whites didn't mind discriminating against them and calling them the n word inspite of their biracialness.
@Pastorius333 Biracial means a person who has a black parent and a white parent. These women parents/grandparents were black. Whatever white blood they had in them came from rape during slavery time, but their grandparents/parents lived as black people and raised them as black. Are you saying just the light-skin ones wouldn't be perceived as black, because their are brown skin and dark skin beauties in this video too.
@Pastorius333 Funny how you come here wanting to put down label these woment he race you want them to be, instead of accepting them for who they are and wanted to be. Just because their beautiful women, you want to say their biracial. Because they don't have the big nose and big lips that you associate with blacks. Not all blacks have those features. There's different tribes in Africa with blacks of different skin tones and different features.
@Pastorius333 Yeah their black, it's funny how white people want to now change the rules, when they use to say one drop of black blood made you black. Even if some do have other ancestry, their still part black, so how are they not black? Anyway these women lived their lives as black, and went through the slings and arrows of being a black woman. They never received what their white counterparts did, in spite of their ancestry. Many of these women were proud to be black ad wouldn't pass.
This is a really great video. Thank you for introducing me to all these unsung beautiful Black women. Even though these women are all old enough to be my great grandmothers, I still think they are some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. I love women of all races, but there really is nothing like a Black woman. MusicandDancing4Ever, I look forward to reading your book one day.
Excellent well researched Video, although I agree with the person who asked where was Hattie McDaniel? We’re speaking of the first African American to attend the Academy Awards as a guest,not staff. This is the same woman who dressed to the nines with additional make-up to accept the first Academy Award given to a Black person. I’m aware that beauty’s subjective, but regardless of her shape, hue or overall “defined” beauty Hattie McDaniel is still at lease in my book, a Glamorous Beauty!
Hattie isn't included because I wanted to include pretty, glamour girl types. Her complexion wasn't the reason I excluded her. Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Joyce Bryant, Betti Mays, Margaret Whitten, Josephine Baker, Florence Mills, Mauri Lynn, Suzette Harbin, Hazel Scott, Etta Rae, Victoria Spivey, Theresa Harris, Bette McLaurin, Sheila Guyse, Dorothy Van Engle, Pearl Bailey, were all darker hued beauties I included in this video, who were considered beauties by both races.
@musiclover77able I am a counselor and have found that my light-skinned clients have more color issues than my brown and dark-skinned clients. Many of the lighter skinned clients tend to bring up the issue of skin color.
@n2mymuzic I'm glad you brought that up. I know that there are lighter-skinned people who aren't proud of being light, and wished they were darker, because of not being accepted by blacks for being light, then not accepted by whites because their black. It's that whole too light to be black, and too black to be white syndrome. I think we all got hang ups. We just need to be comfortable in our skin, and stop wanting what others have. What do you clients often bring up about skin color?
Diana Ross was chosen over Flo Ballard to be the leader of The Supremes, because Berry Gordy thought whites would find her more appealing, because she was skinny, had thin features, a soft voice. Flo was very light, but had so-called black features, was soulful, and very shapely. It was felt the group would be more successful with whites with Diana as leader. In the black community Flo was considered more attractive/shapely, but they wanted to crossover, so Diana was considered more suitable.
@musiclover77able Judy Pace to me is one of the most beautiful women of all time. She definitely looked like a black barbie doll, naturally. Pam Grier kind of overshadows her, but Judy was always my favorite.
@musiclover77able True Most white men/women that I see with blacks, they seem to prefer darker blacks, but you still have whites who pick who's beautiful or not in our race, and they usually pick someone that looks more like them. Dark black men, alot of them have a complex. Many of them have self-hatred for themselves and someone lighter or white is beauty to them. They hope that light woman will give them light children, when their children out come darker, their so disapoointed.
@musiclover77able You've said it beautifully! I was watching a mini documentary on the struggles of black models that was on ebony magazine website, and a white person basically said they wanted black models who looked like white women dipped in chocolate. Pretty much he was saying, they want black models with so-called thin facial features. It is true that if a lighter woman is too so-called black looking she won't have a chance. Its crazy this still going on in 2010.
@rdsweet You're right about one thing, color prejudice definitely have ruined blacks. It's something we must try to get over. We all should help one another out, whenever we notice or see color prejudice, instead of going along with it. I've seen darker women and lighter women go through color prejudice, we shouldn't feel one person's problem is bigger then the other. All these women fought hard to show their talent, and we must appreciate them.
@rdsweet If you weren't so lazy, you could read the women's name in the description. I wouldn't put the names in the video, because it would have ruined the photos in my opinion. Stop being a lazy, ignorant negro and read. The massa got you all messed up if you're too lazy to read. Just appreciate, don't walk away being more ignorant.
@rdsweet What are you talking about? I don't think you've read most of my comments. I'm not pitting color against color. I made this video to celebrate all black women of all complexions, because black is beautiful, dark, brown, and light women. Beauty isn't in the color, but in a person's features, but in this country, people try to equate beauty with color. If you're closer to whites color, then your considered more attractive, and that's wrong. I've seen pretty and ugly people in all colors.
black women were beautiful and had class back then. Majority of what i see are tasless and tacky. some are really pretty like Kerry Washington,Zoe S and Diana Ross daughter and so on. but those are the ones that don't get too much attention.
Thanky you so much for putting up this video. All of those women were beautiful and its a shame they didn't get the fame and recoginiton as their caucasian counterparts.
i havent head the word mullato in awhile lol anyway i love this video even as a young person i appreciate the women that went through all they did for black ppl today to make it. i am especially a fan of Miss Lena Horne (RIP) and Dorothy Dandridge (who im doing a paper on in school right now) because they were drop dead gogeous but they were more than a face and didnt rely only on their look s like some stars today (they shall remain nameless) i think all these women the know and not r great.
@ MusicandDancing4ever, Yes she was My Dad's sister. She was a remarkable Woman. Not many people know of her accomplishments. She had a loving heart as well. Thank you for honoring her in your video. It's nice to see someone who knows their Black American film and stage history.
great video, as a young black girl i owe it to these women to make something decent out f my life, weather it be a lawyer, actress or a therapist. These women took an opportunity and held with both hands, even though all the odds were against them.
i dont think it made a difference if they were lightskinned, brown, or dark, because this was america right ? black is black ! no amount of features, hair texture, or skin tone can change that, black is still in the blood.
@caramelprincessxxx41 Naomi Campbell is another dark beauty. She said many times she's black, but people still want to say she's mixed, just based on the fact that she's gorgeous, they don't know her family tree. Do you see what I'm trying to say? Anytime a black person doesn't have the stereotypical look/features/color associated with blacks, people want to shout "mixed." Not all mixed people are good-looking, I've seen some unattractive ones, like in any race, there's pretty and ugly.
@caramelprincessxxx41 Anytime a black woman is beautiful, people will always ask is she mixed, even if she's brown-skinned, because people think blacks can't be beautiful without some other race mixing, meaning they don't think black is beautiful. Yes, many blacks do have white ancestry, in some it may show more, but don't give all the credit to the white side for the beauty, it come from the black side as well.
@MusicandDancing4Ever I hate to agree with you, but you are correct. If you look at most of these pictures, these black women look like white women. Only a few of them had "Negro" features. Being black myself, my color nor my features are not considered beautiful. If you look at TV, they always show little fair skinned "black" girls instead of a dark one. Same with the women. It's still the same. Black beauty is also based on how light you are. We are still prejudiced within our own race.
@MissMinnieMousegirl Thanks for your comment. No matter what some people think, there are beautiful women who are darker. There are women in these photos who were browner and were beautiful. I'm still trying to find what is Negro features. It's stereotypical to say darkskin, wide nose, thin lips. Blacks can have a lighter shade of color, thin nose, and thin lips, and they can be any complexion.
@MissMinnieMousegirl A browner beauty would have a better chance with keener features then a browner one who doesn't. A lot of how people see black beauties is based on color and their features. It's important not to go by what the media says, if the media wants to promote white beauty and blacks with their attributes, no one can change that, but don't let it make you hate and have low self-esteem, if you look good, you look good, it don't matter you color or what others consider beauty.
@MissMinnieMousegirl@MissMinnieMousegirl Some look white, cause of it, they faced being told they weren't black enough for roles/stardom. Lena Horne, Fredi Washington, Hilda Simms, Ellen Holly, weren't groomed for stardom like whites. In spite of their looks, to whites they were black. There was racism for mulattos,octoroons,quadroons, some may have been put over darker women, but white women were put over them, whites always made sure their superior.
Black is beauty, because it's variety. Black is also beauty because black don't crack. There's no worry about wrinkles and having to get botox like whites and some light women. Some wish they were darker when they age. Black women with white features may be looked at as more beautiful to some, but their used as sex objects in music videos/movies. The most powerful women in the world are Michelle Obama and Oprah, both are brown. I rather be them then used like a whore like many lightskinned women
@MusicandDancing4Ever Oprah really made her way in a world where the status quo has the majority. LOL! Yes, we don't have to worry about wrinkles as much or getting botox!! But honestly, when Barack Obama came on the scene, I was so proud of him for the fact that even though he is mixed and light skinned, he picked a beautiful, and intelligent dark-skinned woman for a wife. Sadly, most of the up-and-coming brothers want light or white women at their side. Go President Obama!
@MissMinnieMousegirl This is unfortunate, but it just goes to show how brainwashed and self-hating black males are when they feel they need someone lighter or white to make them feel good or look good. Sadly marrying someone white or light is still considered a sign of prestiege when one makes it. A lot of black males feel like I've made it, I don't need black women anymore. They want the most beautiful woman around their arms, and to them that's usually someone lighter or white.
@MissMinnieMousegirl I'm not saying one can't fall in love with a white or lighter hued woman but when its the majority of them that don't marry someone their same color, something is wrong. The rappers hardly have browner women in their videos. I would think they would cater to darker women, being their dark and their mothers are dark, but a lot of black males are prejudice. It's okay for them to be dark, but not women. Their perception of beauty is screwed. I wonder how their mothers feel?
@MissMinnieMousegirl Michelle Obama is an attractive with a great personality, so I'm not surprised that Obama married her. There are black males out there who won't turn away from a beautiful brown woman. Most men are attracted to a beautiful woman, no matter her complexion. Most lighter-skinned black males prefer brown women. Obama seems to have his head on straight and not consumed with color.
@MissMinnieMousegirl Women who are darker then brown like Indie Arie or Alek Wek have it hard. Though their preferred in the modeling field. Mainstream wise and in the black community, they aren't usually preferred as beauties, just because of their hue. The black women who aren't too dark or too light, but in the middle have it a little better.
@caramelprincessxxx41 I'm just telling you what I've heard others say about her. Gabrielle doesn't have the typical large nose and lips that is associated with blacks. She doesn't look like Gaby Sibide from Precious, that's how many think blacks look. She fits the stereotype of what many think blacks look like. Gabrielle is very pretty, which is why many would say she's mixed with something because she couldn't be all black and be pretty. Ignorant people feel you have to be mixed to be pretty.
where's Josephine Baker?
cleopatrabonz 20 hours ago
This video made me say "Fuck Photoshop!"
Black History right here. I love it.
yserrant 3 weeks ago
Goodness!
bossman344 3 weeks ago
Thank you for sharing this with us!
queenofweaves916 1 month ago
negra
cutiepie7041 1 month ago
Very nice!
zacksutt 3 months ago
this was great!! it help greatly for my class and the project i'm working on thanks for the video!!!
jaguar42081 4 months ago
Great job
Geezyone 5 months ago
Thank you for posting this tribute, I have often wondered what my cousin Suzette Harbin looked like. I have heard lots about her growing up, now I can put a face on the stories.... thanks again~B HARBIN-BOLTON!
jamoslady 5 months ago
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The main reason that these black women didn't get the recognition that they so rightly deserved back then, is because they were TOO beautiful and of course the white media couldn't have us black women with our sexy curves, lucious lips, and perfect skin tones of various shades, outshine their white women, so they put the overweight, sexless, MAMMY in the spotlight instead of the black beauties, and that's a FACT.
Magic9053 6 months ago 6
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Magic9053 6 months ago
@Magic9053 I don't know why you removed your comment, but you were quite right. They wanted the mammy type back in those days and they didn't want beautiful black women to outshine the white women.
MusicandDancing4Ever 6 months ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever I removed it and replaced it because I misspelled a word :-)
Magic9053 6 months ago
Thank you, thank you for including in this fine tribute my great aunt Ruby Hill, leading lady of the Broadway show St. Louis Woman. She would be so proud and honored.
ALBNWDC 6 months ago
@ALBNWDC I'm so glad. What became of your great aunt? I do research on early black female performers and I wondered about her.
MusicandDancing4Ever 6 months ago
Josephine Baker has been an inspriation throughout my life... and always think of her as a great "Banana" dancer and all those children she took under her wing.. these women should of been at least reconized today for all their great achivements!!! an still today black women are great achievers... Love them all
thanks for sharing this wonderful vid.
pickkabooo 8 months ago
Love it!
sexsavannah43 8 months ago
i really enjoyed hallelujah. :)
do you know anything about the black singers who would do the voice overs for white actresses in movies and stuff?
Oyin26 10 months ago 2
@Oyin26 Her name is Etta Moten, she did voice overs for white actresses and also appeared on screen. If you google her so info may come up on her. If you want the titles of the films, I can give it to you.
MusicandDancing4Ever 10 months ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever thanks :)
Oyin26 10 months ago
Nice.. Good Job @MusicandDancing4Ever
BluBerriBabiKisses90 11 months ago
cleo laine should maybe get a mention.....
cjacja21 11 months ago
Is anyone catching the titles on the JET magazines? Same shit, different era! lol
Any ways, I love this video. Thanks for taking the time and effort to create this. I love to see where my people come from.
BelTriniCurls 11 months ago 2
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omg ! yes , that one magazine said ARE NEGRO WOMAN BECOMING SEXY ? THEY BEEN SEXY WANT YOU THINK THE WHITE MAN WANTED THEM THEY KNEW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING AND HAD THAT BOMB , LOOKI8NG LIKE A SLAVE WASN'T IT , WASH BATH IT ATTENDED TOO LIKE THE WHITE WOMAN AND YOU SHALL SEE WHAT WAS THERE ALL THE TIME ...BROWN SUGAR
PEB979 1 year ago
omg ! yes , that one magazine said ARE NEGRO WOMAN BECOMING SEXY ? THEY BEEN SEXY WANT YOU THINK THE WHITE MAN WANTED THEM THEY KNEW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING AND HAD THAT BOMB , LOOKI8NG LIKE A SLAVE WASN'T IT , WASH BATH IT ATTENDED TOO LIKE THE WHITE WOMAN AND YOU SHALL SEE WHAT WAS THERE ALL THE TIME ...BROWN SUGAR
PEB979 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever or maybe you just don't like lighter-skinned people and want to exclude them from the black race. There are lighter-skinned Africans, some with red hair, who clearly aren't mixed. Biracial people aren't the only ones who are lighter-tone. A person can be mixed and come out brown, would you call them biracial? What would you call our president, since you call some of these women biracial?
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@myrna2381 If you look up what black means, it means a mixture of everything. There's more then color that makes you black. Most blacks in america ain't 100% black, so should we get rid of the black race, and call it biracial or multi-generational biracial? Look at Michael Jackson family, some of his siblings were dark, brown, and one came out real light which was Latoya Jackson, should she be called biracial, and not black like her brothers and sisters that came from the same parents?
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@myrna2381 Exactly, it matters what they are, and they were black and saw themselves as black, and that's all that matters. Some did have white and indian ancestry, but they were raised within the black culture and community, they identifed more with the black race. Whites surely wouldn't accept them then, that's why they came up with the one drop of black blood rule, so why whites want to accept them now? biracial or not, they still got some black in them, so that makes them apart of the race.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
I think most of these women are unsung biracial beauties.
myrna2381 1 year ago
@myrna2381 and what makes them biracial to you? how do biracial look? and how do black look? I would love to hear how you stereotype what's black and not. You may call them whatever you like but these women lived as black and was proud to, also society gave them no choice, and they struggled through racism and inequality just like blacks, so to me they are black, and they contributed a lot to black history, so to me they are apart of the black race. You should read Isabel Washington Powells book
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@myrna2381 Some of these women didn't want to be seen as nothing but black, and I will respect their wishes. Most? no I would say some, half and half, may have some white or Indian ancestry, but most blacks do.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@myrna2381 a lot of biracial people live as black. Look at President Obama.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@myrna2381
It is more than obvious that the skin tone in all of these women has been altered. Let's keep in mind that the media loves to "lighten" up dark skin and this can even be seen today. Heaven forbid that any one think brown skin is appealing, attractive, etc. particularly back then. Kudos to them all for persevering the storm!
tonkali 1 year ago
@tonkali You are so right. Thanks for being smart enough to see that. A lot of black women were lighten in films and photos back then. I can only think of a few times a lighter woman was darken. Its ashame that people base beauty on color. Beauty is beauty, color shouldn't matter, because beauty is in the features of a person. But unfortunately we live in a society that associates beauty with whiteness and lighter skin.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
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tonkali 1 year ago
@tonkali white ppl have always been jealous of color because they have none. but anyway these women and black ppl in general are just brilliant but in this system of white supremacy we have been downplayed
heckler171 11 months ago
@myrna2381 most black americans are biracial even though it doesn't always show. If they do their genealogy research they will find out that they have more than one race of blood running thru their veins. White america has always said one drop of black blood makes you black. Most of these women have black parents who somewhere in their genealogy had a grandparent that was other than black. And the gene carries on.
Tiny1bme 11 months ago
@Tiny1bme couldn't have said it better myself. To me what makes them black is that's what their culture was and how they were raised, and their experiences were very black related. They suffer some the same injustices and prejudices that other blacks did.
MusicandDancing4Ever 11 months ago 2
@myrna2381 Most of these women descend from Black families of mixed bloodlines. "Biracial" is a brand-new concept that was irrelevant back then and still is to many. The basic point is, regardless of their complexions, they were members of the Black community. Why? Because most Black people are of mixed background at some level.
RETROGEMS 5 months ago
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this video. Just goes to show all the beautiful Black women that there are. Show this video to the hater.s
MrHav1k 1 year ago
Some one please tell me whats the difference? dark or light brown these women were/r n always will be some of the most beautifull women in the world, I only wish i was around when they were. god bless them all. thank you 4 the video.
angelawahlstrom 1 year ago
@angelawahlstrom thank you, that's what I say whats the difference. I guess color is still a big issue within the black race. I realize certain colors are looked at as more beautiful or acceptance, but this isn't what my video was about. I joined women of all complexions and styles together to show the diversity of black women. These women had beauty, class, and style, and tried to pave the women for the future generation. They had their ups and downs, but they stayed true to who they were.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Some one please tell me whats the difference? dark or light brown these women were/r n always will be some of the most beautifull women in the world, I only wish i was around when they were. god bless them all.
angelawahlstrom 1 year ago
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I suppose you are correct. I didn't factor in black and white pictures and I'll take your word for it as I know very few of these women. Of the few that I know Pearl Bailey is the darkest. I'll do more research next time. I love women of all shades. I was just commenting and I didn't mean to offend you. I guess it is easier to defend than say, thank you. After all, I did commend you on a beautiful collage. ;)
pheelme 1 year ago
These women are stunning! I sure cannot take anything away from them. I know that beauty is subjective and these women are beautiful, talented and intelligent, but I also find darker women attractive and these women are very fair skinned. Pearl Bailey might have been the darkest woman in this video. You did a great job though. Well done!
pheelme 1 year ago
@pheelme Pearl Bailey wasn't the darkest. There was Betti Mays at 0:18 who was brown, Hazel Scott at 0:43 who was brown, Joyce Bryant at 0:46 was darker-skinned, Margaret Whitten at 0:48 was brown, Etta Rae at 1:23 was brown, Suzette Harbin at 1:32 was brown, Victoria Spivey at 1:39 was darker-skinned, Theresa Harris at 1:41 was brown, Bette McLaurin at 1:46 was brown, Sheila Guyse at 2:20 is brown, Florence Mills, Ethel Waters, Sarah Vaughn, and Maxine Sullivan are brown also.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Back then photos were taken in black and white, and they would make black women appear lighter then what they was, so a lot of these women appear lighter in photos but were actually darker, but what difference does their color make. I included black women of all hues, who lived their lives as black, and had ups and down because of it, but stayed true to who they were. These women are beautiful because they are, color had nothing to do with why I thought they were beautiful
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
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pheelme 1 year ago
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@MusicandDancing4Ever I suppose you are correct. I didn't factor in black and white pictures and I'll take your word for it as I know very few of these women. Of the few that I know Pearl Bailey is the darkest. I'll do more research next time. I love women of all shades. I was just commenting and I didn't mean to offend you. I guess it is easier to defend than say, thank you. After all, I did commend you on a beautiful collage. :)
pheelme 1 year ago
@pheelme Black women come in all skin tones.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
AMAZING!! Thank You for Sharing this. These women are getting their much deserved recognition through you (Smiles!) I Fav'd this video and will be forwarding it to many of my YT friends, Thx again.
mssquirrely 1 year ago
I wish i could FAVORITE THIS A BILLION TIMES!!!
where did u find all the pictures!!!!!!!!!
YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!!!!!
GREAT job!
:)
thaempress06 1 year ago
I think you did a great job, thank you so much for this video. It's one of the best ones on youtube. I hadn't heard of Nina Mae Mckinney before, now I want to watch the movie "hallelujah."
Oyin26 1 year ago
@Oyin26 You will love the movie. Its very enjoyable.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
thanks, i wasn't taking my time, obviously.
patthecatman 1 year ago
dunno if she's here, no names given-why?- but for my money, the best looking of them all was theresa harris, relegated to maid roles mainly. if you have "out of the past" ('47). she's in the scene where mitchum is looking for jane greer. he checks out her maid (of course) in a negro night club. that's harris. also, she's in "horsefeathers" ('32). she's thelma todd's maid in that one. she was a hum-dinger.
patthecatman 1 year ago
@patthecatman if you would have looked and read the title, names are given under the video in the info box, along with the time they appear. Theresa Harris is in this video.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Oh my God!! I was born in the wrong era!!!
changeweneed 1 year ago
@changeweneed If you're black, and you were born in that era - times would have been unbelievably difficult and quite horrific. I salute those individuals that had no choice but to live through that era of extreme inequality - while still managing to make the best of it, and in many cases thrive.
silverfoxtrot13 1 year ago
This is an amazing compilation. Thank you for sharing!
dacianoel 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this! It's so hard to find information on the beautiful black actresses from this time besides the popular ones.
tinamarie2484 1 year ago
What a lovely video, the world would be a slightly sadder place but for these ladies. Imagine a world that had never had Ella in it, and that's just one!
ZXC5000 1 year ago
1:22 Pauline Green - She is soo beautiful!
blackswordbree 1 year ago
MY OPINION...ALL THIS TALK ABOUT BLK WOMEN BACK IN THOSE DAYS TRYING TO BE WHITE WOMEN (IF I READ CORRECTLY) IS COMPLETELY FALSE TO ME. WHTE STILL RAN CLOSELY IN THEIR FAMILIES AND SO THEIR HAIR WAS FINER, AND THEIR SKIN WAS LIGHTER AND THEY COULD PASS FOR WHITE. LIGHTER SKINNED PPL MARRIED WHITE PPL DARKER SKIN PPL MARRIED BLK PPL. IT WASN'T RIGHT BUT THAT'S HOW IT WAS AT TIMES. BACK IN SLAVERY WHEN SLAVES HAD CHILDREN BY THEIR MASTERS IT WAS STILL DOMINANT IN THEIR BLOODLINES, NOT LIKE TODAY.
LUX3dollfaceLAHbella 1 year ago
@LUX3dollfaceLAHbella "LIGHTER SKINNED PPL MARRIED WHITE PPL DARKER SKIN PPL MARRIED BLK PPL." Um, huh? Interracial marriage was illegal in many states prior to the 1960s and even in Northern states, there was a strong societal taboo regarding it. If you're talking about Light-skinned BLACKS, no, most DIDN'T marry Whites. Most married light-skinned and dark-skinned Blacks...members of their own community of varying color.
RETROGEMS 5 months ago
Thanks so much for the wonderful tribute. You are right, we MUST educate ourselves about who opened the doors and paved the way. It's amazing that many folks do not know who people like Fredi and Isabel Washington and Hazel Scott are.
MsTexas73 1 year ago
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vikiwedgenms 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever
How do you know about all of these women? Wow! I thought I was a black history whiz until now. Would you happen to know what happened to Pat Rainey? She appears to have gotten into legal trouble over drugs and prostitution and then sort of disappeared from the public after the '50s. I read all about her father but would LOVE to know what became of her! Is she still alive?
maknun 1 year ago
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jannetmcmorrow 1 year ago
thank you for this
b3autiphulmokha 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever
@MusicandDancing4Ever
I love this video and came here for it. but iif one is to dish it out one must be ready to take it. Women of color use skin bleaching cream, wear hair weaves with european looking hair, sometimes even blond. Also check your statistics on rhinoplasty(nose jobs) many are black women. Look at Pepa, Lil kim,Janet Jackson. No race is immune nor exclusive of this
MsAdama44 1 year ago
@MsAdama44 I'm not dishing anything, just making a video about unsung beautiful black women. Just because black women get nose jobs and wear weaves, particularly blonde, doesn't mean they want to be white. I like to wear different hair colors, cause I'm stylish like that. White women are getting lip and booty injections, they wear hair extensions too, you think they wanna be black, no! Every race has some flaws that we want to enhance.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago 8
@MusicandDancing4Ever
MsAdama44 1 year ago
I don't believe black women use surgical or cosmetic alteration to look white. At the same time I don't believe white women use it too look black. Certain physical features are desired in history at certain times and those features or wishing to obtain them is not exclusive to white or black women. And there are many more women world wide than just black and white. Yes thier are Africans with thin noses, but Armanian women are known for healthy backsides. russians for full lips. My point is
MsAdama44 1 year ago
these type of comments don't have much place in race discussions. The reasons women change their appearance are as varied as the women.
And I know I have a red headed daughter, came out of nowhere.
MsAdama44 1 year ago
@MsAdama44 Most of the reasons why blacks want to lighten their skin and change their noses, is because its mostly their own people making fun of them. I grew up around blacks making fun of other blacks for being darker and for having a larger nose, and we say nothing, but let a white person make fun, we'll raise hell. Black is beautiful, we have a beautiful array of colors/features, and we need to appreciate it. Don't let the outside world influence you, because every race has beauty to offer
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MsAdama44 Don't think only whites have thinner noses. There's Africans with thin noses and thin lips, do don't make the mistake of just associating it with whites, and thinking blacks are the only ones with larger noses. There's Africans with red hair. I feel like this, you can never be white, you can bleach your skin, relax your hair, wear different colors all you want, those things aren't going to make you less black, you can't change your DNA, genes, heredity.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MsAdama44 Every race has a few bad apples, but don't assume every black person wants to be white or look white. There's black women who wear their hair natural, proud of their unique features, some ignorant blacks make fun of them, but it doesn't faze them. We all just need to accept one another, whether one wants to wear their hair natural or straight or whatever. I don't define blackness by physical features, but by actions.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever
I don't define blackness by physical features, but by actions
Couldn't agree more
MsAdama44 1 year ago
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MsAdama44 1 year ago
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MsAdama44 1 year ago
God , these are some traditionally beautiful black women , today's women need to take note !!!!!
nowatout 1 year ago
You cannot deny the fact that one of the methods of dividing black people was through the process of skin coloration. white slavemasters would favor the light black over the darker skin black person,which ultimately create a class structure amongst black people even unto this very day.The fairer skin you are the more marketable you are.yes black women are beautiful of all shades but racism in media defines whats in and what is not.
christophe1804 1 year ago 4
@christophe1804 Let's not forget some of the lighter-skinned slaves were being abused and raped just like the darker ones, and though they may have been put over darker ones, and placed in the house, whites still didn't view them as equal. Who cares what the white media defines as beauty, people must fight against white superiority, instead of just foolishly going along with it. Get out of the plantation and stop letting whites still dictate to you what is beauty and what is not.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 If lightskin was so marketable how come Fredi Washington, Evelyn Preer, Alice Whitman, Hilda Simms, Ellen Holly had such a hard time. They were told they were too light. Certain lightskin tones were accepted, some weren't. Their color may have been acceptable in a Cotton Club chorus line, but when they tried to go up in the biz, they were denied, while ones like Josephine Baker, Hattie McDaniel, Louise Beavers, Ethel Waters could find work cause they looked their race.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Dorothy Dandridge was light, but she wasn't as light as Fredi Washington. Dorothy had color in her skin, so her race could be determined, unlike Fredi. Some colors are acceptable, some aren't. Every skin tone of blacks have been attacked. Every black person is going to face some form of racism, no matter their color. It's all apart of the game of racism. Some will be looked at as better then others, but white will always be placed as number one.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne both were lightskin. They both faced extreme racism in Hollywood. Their lightskin didn't stop them from facing racism like darker blacks. Dorothy put her toe in a pool, and whites took the water out and put in new water. They didn't think, oh she's lightskin it's okay, no she was still a nigger to them, and Lena Horne was called all kinds of niggers and faced discrimination. Some may think light skin is prettier, but a nigger is a nigger to white racists.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 There were certain whites back in the day that didn't care if you were lighter. They didn't want anyone with negro blood going to certain places and buying property or whatever. There were actual laws that said negroes, mulattoes, octroon, anyone with a drop of black couldn't do certain things. So yes there were incidents where light skin ones were put over darker ones, but the majority of whites treated anyone with black blood in them the same. Watch Pinky and Lost Boundaries.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
All blacks need to fight against racism and discrimination when they see it happening. Even if its in their favor. Even if their color is preferred. Sooner or later everyone will face some racism. If we want to progress we need to fight for one another and not look the other way nor should we hate one another because of what whites did back in the day with separting the color. They were only trying to cause friction/mistrust, so we would trust only them, whites felt the same about all of us.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 Racism works in mysterious ways. Look at the Cotton Club chorines, for a long time, only lighter skin women could be in the chorus lines. The club owners wanted black women who looked white for shock factor and to sexually exploit them. They were picked over darker ones, but those same girls had to go out the backdoor and couldn't even sit in the audience to enjoy a show. They were only wanted to entertain whites.and be sex toys to white men, just like slavery time.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 That's how white racism works. Lighter ones may be put over darker blacks, but at the same time they can't have what whites have, cause whites are put over them. I don't want partial freedom, I want complete whole freedom.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 Josephine Baker is another story. She was teased cause she was the darkest girl in the chorus line, but she ended up becoming the international star. The Paris people loved her color. The lighter-skinned girls stayed working in the chorus line making 20 dollars a week. They never reached the top like Josephine, because they were too light. The biggest stars of back then were mostly darker hued and brown skin women. The light skin girls were usually just used for the chorus lines.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 The tables are turning now. You got white women trying to have black features by getting lip injections and booty injections. Obviously their not okay with their looks. Their the majority getting plastic surgery. We are suppose to look like them to be beautiful, but their constantly changing their looks and borrowing from other races. So people of color need to appreciate their beauty, like they did in the 70's, with black is beautiful. Don't let white racism brainwash you.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@christophe1804 Whites made fun of our looks for years, but now their trying to have the same features they made fun of us about. They want the big lips and big butts now.There's an old saying...don't make fun of people cause you might end up just like them.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago 3
@MusicandDancing4Ever Let us not forget that the approach that the corset that was worn for over 500 yrs was fitted to accentuate a voluptuous figure such as one that appears fertile,sexually enticing. Read about Sara Bartman. Immitating black people is nothing new. 1700's to early 1900's wearing a tan was classified as uncouthed.It was until CoCo Chanel wore a tan and White folks sighed in relief then it was the thing to do.To them we are the Fear / Fascination to our advantage and our defeat.
somerzeze 1 year ago
thanks for posting, this is what i wanted to see famous black beauties of the 30's, 40's and 50's
lovelydiva06 1 year ago
Oh man, I have such a crush on Ethel Waters. She had a hell of a voice and beauty to match. Not to mention a smile that could melt butter!
Great video, MusicandDancing4Ever!
SikoKthxbye 1 year ago
@picposter67 no dark-skin women? really? Sarah Vaughn, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Pearl Bailey, Sheila Guyse, Dorothy VanEngle, Betti Mays, Etta Rae, Suzette Harbin, Theresa Harris, Hazel Scott, Bette McLaurin, Joyce Bryant, are dark beauties, are you a dummy? don't you have eyes? There's dark, brown, light brown, caramel, honey, yella, and pale skin black beauties in this video. You see some lighter women, so you assume there's no darker women. Pay attention before you make a stupid comment!
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever and Victoria Spivey is also a dark beauty that is featured in this video.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you. It is soo sad. Slavery ended in 1865 but now in 2010 the weakest among black people still fighting among thier own about collor issues. Just can't get up off the plantation. Can't even enjoy a simple documentary w/o mentioning that light skin/dark skin crap. No wonder we haven't made enough progress.
giftedwoman777 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you. It is soo sad. Slavery ended in 1865 but now in 2010 the weakest among black people still fighting among thier own about color issues. Just can't get up off the plantation. Can't even enjoy a simple documentary w/o mentioning that light skin/dark skin crap. No wonder we haven't made enough progress.
giftedwoman777 1 year ago
@giftedwoman777 Thanks for being intelligent enough to enjoy this video. You made the most intelligent comment. Its very sad that some blacks are still color struck, when thats not the main issue all the time. Oppression, racism, self-hatred has messed us up, and made us act towards each other like whites have treated us all these years. These beautiful black women suffered injustices, in spite of the color ignorances, we should acknowledge their strength and achievements through such hard times
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Thank you for a well done, informative video. IT celebrated our beauty and our history. I am so tired of black people HIDING BEHIND THIER OWN INSECURITIES, UNCOMFORTABLE W/BEING BLACK and pointing out stupid differences in skin color when people like Rush Limbaugh, Laura Slessinger hate everything about us. This kind of stupidity destroys us within. When will it all end.
giftedwoman777 1 year ago
This reminds me of looking at my mother's old photos of her and her sisters, back in the day. Use to love to do that. It seems like all them were cute.
cupid4040 1 year ago
Their black because of their struggle and because of the community and culture they were apart of. Its more then just color that makes a person the race they are or chose to be. Look up black, black means all sorts of things, it just doesn't mean the color black. I know a few of these women wouldn't pass for white no matter how they were offered and would cuss you out if you call them other then black. You can call them whatever you like, what they defined themselves as is all that matters
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Interesting point. I'm Black & Italian and I consider myself a member of the Black community. "Biracial" is a very new concept and I don't see how an idea of "separation" from the Black community would benefit people of mixed bloodlines at any real social, political, economic level...a community is important, and the Black community has always been ours too.
RETROGEMS 5 months ago
@Pastorius333 If you think some of these women are biracial then you should look at Ava Gardner, Linda Darnell, and Merle Oberon, classic white actresses who say their white, but they look mix, but don't say that to white people, because it's a no no to be white with black in you and its an insult to even suggest a white has black in them.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@Pastorius333 Funny how you just want to look at their talent, but overlook their achievements and talent, just like a racist. These women had to put up with that while they were alive and its still going on. You say their biracial but white people don't even know them or talk about them. Whites didn't mind discriminating against them and calling them the n word inspite of their biracialness.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@Pastorius333 Biracial means a person who has a black parent and a white parent. These women parents/grandparents were black. Whatever white blood they had in them came from rape during slavery time, but their grandparents/parents lived as black people and raised them as black. Are you saying just the light-skin ones wouldn't be perceived as black, because their are brown skin and dark skin beauties in this video too.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@Pastorius333 Funny how you come here wanting to put down label these woment he race you want them to be, instead of accepting them for who they are and wanted to be. Just because their beautiful women, you want to say their biracial. Because they don't have the big nose and big lips that you associate with blacks. Not all blacks have those features. There's different tribes in Africa with blacks of different skin tones and different features.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@Pastorius333 Yeah their black, it's funny how white people want to now change the rules, when they use to say one drop of black blood made you black. Even if some do have other ancestry, their still part black, so how are they not black? Anyway these women lived their lives as black, and went through the slings and arrows of being a black woman. They never received what their white counterparts did, in spite of their ancestry. Many of these women were proud to be black ad wouldn't pass.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Did I see Nia Long...just kidding. lol
levar1979 1 year ago
@levar1979 If you mean one of the first photos, perhaps, Nia Long does resemble the singer/dancer/actress Betti Mays.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
This is a really great video. Thank you for introducing me to all these unsung beautiful Black women. Even though these women are all old enough to be my great grandmothers, I still think they are some of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. I love women of all races, but there really is nothing like a Black woman. MusicandDancing4Ever, I look forward to reading your book one day.
camking88 1 year ago
Excellent well researched Video, although I agree with the person who asked where was Hattie McDaniel? We’re speaking of the first African American to attend the Academy Awards as a guest,not staff. This is the same woman who dressed to the nines with additional make-up to accept the first Academy Award given to a Black person. I’m aware that beauty’s subjective, but regardless of her shape, hue or overall “defined” beauty Hattie McDaniel is still at lease in my book, a Glamorous Beauty!
SuperXavier30 1 year ago 20
Hattie isn't included because I wanted to include pretty, glamour girl types. Her complexion wasn't the reason I excluded her. Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Sarah Vaughn, Joyce Bryant, Betti Mays, Margaret Whitten, Josephine Baker, Florence Mills, Mauri Lynn, Suzette Harbin, Hazel Scott, Etta Rae, Victoria Spivey, Theresa Harris, Bette McLaurin, Sheila Guyse, Dorothy Van Engle, Pearl Bailey, were all darker hued beauties I included in this video, who were considered beauties by both races.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
who was that at 47 seconds? she is gorgeous.
BLAKPEARL69 1 year ago
@BLAKPEARL69 Joyce Bryant, she was a popular singer in the 50's. She was called the Black Marilyn Monroe.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@musiclover77able I am a counselor and have found that my light-skinned clients have more color issues than my brown and dark-skinned clients. Many of the lighter skinned clients tend to bring up the issue of skin color.
n2mymuzic 1 year ago
@n2mymuzic I'm glad you brought that up. I know that there are lighter-skinned people who aren't proud of being light, and wished they were darker, because of not being accepted by blacks for being light, then not accepted by whites because their black. It's that whole too light to be black, and too black to be white syndrome. I think we all got hang ups. We just need to be comfortable in our skin, and stop wanting what others have. What do you clients often bring up about skin color?
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Where is Hattie McDaniel? After all she was the first Black woman to win an Oscar. She was a beauty.
n2mymuzic 1 year ago
@n2mymuzic Hattie is great, but she wasn't a glamour girl beauty type compared to the women in this video.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Diana Ross was chosen over Flo Ballard to be the leader of The Supremes, because Berry Gordy thought whites would find her more appealing, because she was skinny, had thin features, a soft voice. Flo was very light, but had so-called black features, was soulful, and very shapely. It was felt the group would be more successful with whites with Diana as leader. In the black community Flo was considered more attractive/shapely, but they wanted to crossover, so Diana was considered more suitable.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago 2
@musiclover77able Judy Pace to me is one of the most beautiful women of all time. She definitely looked like a black barbie doll, naturally. Pam Grier kind of overshadows her, but Judy was always my favorite.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@musiclover77able True Most white men/women that I see with blacks, they seem to prefer darker blacks, but you still have whites who pick who's beautiful or not in our race, and they usually pick someone that looks more like them. Dark black men, alot of them have a complex. Many of them have self-hatred for themselves and someone lighter or white is beauty to them. They hope that light woman will give them light children, when their children out come darker, their so disapoointed.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@musiclover77able You've said it beautifully! I was watching a mini documentary on the struggles of black models that was on ebony magazine website, and a white person basically said they wanted black models who looked like white women dipped in chocolate. Pretty much he was saying, they want black models with so-called thin facial features. It is true that if a lighter woman is too so-called black looking she won't have a chance. Its crazy this still going on in 2010.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@rdsweet That's black people for you, always ready to hate, instead of congratulate.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@rdsweet You're right about one thing, color prejudice definitely have ruined blacks. It's something we must try to get over. We all should help one another out, whenever we notice or see color prejudice, instead of going along with it. I've seen darker women and lighter women go through color prejudice, we shouldn't feel one person's problem is bigger then the other. All these women fought hard to show their talent, and we must appreciate them.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@rdsweet If you weren't so lazy, you could read the women's name in the description. I wouldn't put the names in the video, because it would have ruined the photos in my opinion. Stop being a lazy, ignorant negro and read. The massa got you all messed up if you're too lazy to read. Just appreciate, don't walk away being more ignorant.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@rdsweet What are you talking about? I don't think you've read most of my comments. I'm not pitting color against color. I made this video to celebrate all black women of all complexions, because black is beautiful, dark, brown, and light women. Beauty isn't in the color, but in a person's features, but in this country, people try to equate beauty with color. If you're closer to whites color, then your considered more attractive, and that's wrong. I've seen pretty and ugly people in all colors.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
I wonder who made these color rules and why as intelligent peopledo we feed into it when we all know that God is the creator.
jeantie3 1 year ago
no complaints here good music too
potrezeb1 1 year ago
black women were beautiful and had class back then. Majority of what i see are tasless and tacky. some are really pretty like Kerry Washington,Zoe S and Diana Ross daughter and so on. but those are the ones that don't get too much attention.
hco323 1 year ago
I love this! Thanks!!!
devastatingsynger 1 year ago
Thanky you so much for putting up this video. All of those women were beautiful and its a shame they didn't get the fame and recoginiton as their caucasian counterparts.
Beautifulstar24 1 year ago
I think 1:47 looks like Nia long and I agree with the Beyoncye comment. this is truly neat
nubian89goddess 1 year ago
how'd u find all these pictures?
skydeja 1 year ago
Thank you for this.
PharoahAfro 1 year ago
Nice Video! Thanks
2:22 looks like Beyonce.
kdbrown1385 1 year ago
@kdbrown1385 You mean Beyonce looks like her! =) Which ever lady you are referring to was before Beyonce.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Amen:)
3investigators 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever You're exactly right, Beyonce looks her.
kdbrown1385 1 year ago
LOVE IT!!! LOVE IT!!! I LOVE the SISTAS!!!
Jdavey86 1 year ago
i havent head the word mullato in awhile lol anyway i love this video even as a young person i appreciate the women that went through all they did for black ppl today to make it. i am especially a fan of Miss Lena Horne (RIP) and Dorothy Dandridge (who im doing a paper on in school right now) because they were drop dead gogeous but they were more than a face and didnt rely only on their look s like some stars today (they shall remain nameless) i think all these women the know and not r great.
leplaq 1 year ago
@ MusicandDancing4ever, Yes she was My Dad's sister. She was a remarkable Woman. Not many people know of her accomplishments. She had a loving heart as well. Thank you for honoring her in your video. It's nice to see someone who knows their Black American film and stage history.
lifslove 1 year ago
great video, as a young black girl i owe it to these women to make something decent out f my life, weather it be a lawyer, actress or a therapist. These women took an opportunity and held with both hands, even though all the odds were against them.
i dont think it made a difference if they were lightskinned, brown, or dark, because this was america right ? black is black ! no amount of features, hair texture, or skin tone can change that, black is still in the blood.
xPlatinumGoldx 1 year ago 5
@xPlatinumGoldx I agree. Your comment is one of the most intelligent!
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Thanks for including my Aunt, Hilda Simms!
lifslove 1 year ago
@lifslove Hilda Simms is your aunt? I've liked her for so long. I think she is a hugely underrated actress.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@caramelprincessxxx41 Naomi Campbell is another dark beauty. She said many times she's black, but people still want to say she's mixed, just based on the fact that she's gorgeous, they don't know her family tree. Do you see what I'm trying to say? Anytime a black person doesn't have the stereotypical look/features/color associated with blacks, people want to shout "mixed." Not all mixed people are good-looking, I've seen some unattractive ones, like in any race, there's pretty and ugly.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@caramelprincessxxx41 Anytime a black woman is beautiful, people will always ask is she mixed, even if she's brown-skinned, because people think blacks can't be beautiful without some other race mixing, meaning they don't think black is beautiful. Yes, many blacks do have white ancestry, in some it may show more, but don't give all the credit to the white side for the beauty, it come from the black side as well.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever I hate to agree with you, but you are correct. If you look at most of these pictures, these black women look like white women. Only a few of them had "Negro" features. Being black myself, my color nor my features are not considered beautiful. If you look at TV, they always show little fair skinned "black" girls instead of a dark one. Same with the women. It's still the same. Black beauty is also based on how light you are. We are still prejudiced within our own race.
MissMinnieMousegirl 1 year ago
@MissMinnieMousegirl Thanks for your comment. No matter what some people think, there are beautiful women who are darker. There are women in these photos who were browner and were beautiful. I'm still trying to find what is Negro features. It's stereotypical to say darkskin, wide nose, thin lips. Blacks can have a lighter shade of color, thin nose, and thin lips, and they can be any complexion.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MissMinnieMousegirl A browner beauty would have a better chance with keener features then a browner one who doesn't. A lot of how people see black beauties is based on color and their features. It's important not to go by what the media says, if the media wants to promote white beauty and blacks with their attributes, no one can change that, but don't let it make you hate and have low self-esteem, if you look good, you look good, it don't matter you color or what others consider beauty.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MissMinnieMousegirl @MissMinnieMousegirl Some look white, cause of it, they faced being told they weren't black enough for roles/stardom. Lena Horne, Fredi Washington, Hilda Simms, Ellen Holly, weren't groomed for stardom like whites. In spite of their looks, to whites they were black. There was racism for mulattos,octoroons,quadroons, some may have been put over darker women, but white women were put over them, whites always made sure their superior.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
Black is beauty, because it's variety. Black is also beauty because black don't crack. There's no worry about wrinkles and having to get botox like whites and some light women. Some wish they were darker when they age. Black women with white features may be looked at as more beautiful to some, but their used as sex objects in music videos/movies. The most powerful women in the world are Michelle Obama and Oprah, both are brown. I rather be them then used like a whore like many lightskinned women
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MusicandDancing4Ever Oprah really made her way in a world where the status quo has the majority. LOL! Yes, we don't have to worry about wrinkles as much or getting botox!! But honestly, when Barack Obama came on the scene, I was so proud of him for the fact that even though he is mixed and light skinned, he picked a beautiful, and intelligent dark-skinned woman for a wife. Sadly, most of the up-and-coming brothers want light or white women at their side. Go President Obama!
MissMinnieMousegirl 1 year ago 3
@MissMinnieMousegirl This is unfortunate, but it just goes to show how brainwashed and self-hating black males are when they feel they need someone lighter or white to make them feel good or look good. Sadly marrying someone white or light is still considered a sign of prestiege when one makes it. A lot of black males feel like I've made it, I don't need black women anymore. They want the most beautiful woman around their arms, and to them that's usually someone lighter or white.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MissMinnieMousegirl I'm not saying one can't fall in love with a white or lighter hued woman but when its the majority of them that don't marry someone their same color, something is wrong. The rappers hardly have browner women in their videos. I would think they would cater to darker women, being their dark and their mothers are dark, but a lot of black males are prejudice. It's okay for them to be dark, but not women. Their perception of beauty is screwed. I wonder how their mothers feel?
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago 2
@MissMinnieMousegirl Michelle Obama is an attractive with a great personality, so I'm not surprised that Obama married her. There are black males out there who won't turn away from a beautiful brown woman. Most men are attracted to a beautiful woman, no matter her complexion. Most lighter-skinned black males prefer brown women. Obama seems to have his head on straight and not consumed with color.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@MissMinnieMousegirl Women who are darker then brown like Indie Arie or Alek Wek have it hard. Though their preferred in the modeling field. Mainstream wise and in the black community, they aren't usually preferred as beauties, just because of their hue. The black women who aren't too dark or too light, but in the middle have it a little better.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago
@caramelprincessxxx41 I'm just telling you what I've heard others say about her. Gabrielle doesn't have the typical large nose and lips that is associated with blacks. She doesn't look like Gaby Sibide from Precious, that's how many think blacks look. She fits the stereotype of what many think blacks look like. Gabrielle is very pretty, which is why many would say she's mixed with something because she couldn't be all black and be pretty. Ignorant people feel you have to be mixed to be pretty.
MusicandDancing4Ever 1 year ago