Today In Black History: Claudia McNeil
Acclaimed TV, movie, and Broadway actor
Issue #614 Today In Black History, Friday, May 24, 2024
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Today’s Black History WOW!
Claudia McNeil was born on August 13, 1917, in Baltimore, Maryland, to a Black father and an Apache mother. McNeil began performing at a young age. She had a passion for the arts and pursued a career in theater, eventually becoming one of the most respected and successful actors of her time.
The family moved to New York City soon after her birth. She was raised by her mother after her father left the family. At the age of 12, McNeil began working for The Heckscher Foundation for Children. There she met a Jewish couple who later adopted her,[1] and McNeil became fluent in Yiddish.
She became a licensed librarian but soon began singing in vaudeville theaters and performing in nightclubs.
McNeil was married when she was 19 to a husband whom she described as a "very wonderful man", whose name she wouldn't disclose. They had two sons. Her husband died in World War II, and both her sons were reportedly killed in the Korean War. Her second marriage (to Herman McCoy) ended in divorce after two years in 1964.
She studied Judaism, the religion of her adoptive parents. She converted to Catholicism in 1952.
McNeil is best known for her iconic role as Lena Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking play "A Raisin in the Sun." The play debuted on Broadway in 1959 and made history as the first Broadway production to feature a predominantly African-American cast. Her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination and solidified her status as a leading actress in the theater world.
In addition to her work in theater, McNeil also had a successful career in film and television. She appeared in several movies, including "The Last Angry Man" and "Black Girl," and guest-starred on popular television shows such as "The Cosby Show" and "Roots: The Next Generations." Her performances were always well-received by audiences and critics alike, showcasing her versatility and talent as an actress.
Claudia McNeil retired in 1983 and two years later moved into the Actors’ Fund Nursing Home in Englewood, New Jersey. She died there on November 25, 1993, aged 76, from complications related to diabetes.
Today In Black History
In 1861, Union Major General Benjamin F. Butler declared that slaves were “contraband of war.”
In 1887, Black inventor Elijah McCoy received a patent for his safety valve lubricator for trains.
In 1910, Black barber Walter M. Hard received a patent for a device that kept the electrical contact on top of a trolley car from slipping off the overhead wire, ending the delays that stopped the trolley cars.
In 1951, the Municipal Court of appeals ruled that racial segregation in Washington D.C. restaurants was illegal.
In 1954, Dr. Peter Murray Marshall became the 1st Black person to head an American Medical Association unit when he was installed as president of the New York County Medical Society.
In 1966, Leontyne Price opened the Metropolitan Opera season.
In 1983, Rev. Jesse Jackson became the 1st Black person to address a joint session of Congress.
In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could not grant tax exemption status to private schools that practiced racial discrimination.
In 1993, real-life astronaut Dr. Mae Jamison appeared on a “Star Trek” episode.
In 1993, the East African country of Eritrea achieved independence from Ethiopia after a 30-year civil war.
In 2016, Dr. Bill Cosby was ordered to stand trial in a sexual assault case.
In 2023, former US Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman’s poem, “The Hill We Climb,” was placed on a restricted reading list in Florida.
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