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Ruby Dee (born Ruby Ann Wallace; October 27, 1922 – June 11, 2014) was an American actress. She was married to Ossie Davis, with whom she frequently performed until his death in 2005. She received numerous accolades, including an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
, a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
, an
Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...
, and a
Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
, as well as a nomination for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
. She was honored with the
National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...
in 1995, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2000, and the
Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...
in 2004. Dee started her career with the American Negro Theatre. She made her Broadway debut in '' South Pacific'' (1943). She met her future husband working together on the play '' Jeb'' (1946). She originated the Broadway roles of Ruth Younger in
Lorraine Hansberry Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was an American playwright and writer. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Her best-known work, the play ''A Raisin ...
's '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1959) and reprised the role in the 1961 film and Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins in the Ossie Davis play '' Purlie Victorious'' (1961) and reprised the role in the 1963 film. She made her film debut in '' That Man of Mine'' (1946) before landing a leading roles in films such as '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950), '' Edge of the City'' (1957), '' Take a Giant Step'' (1959), and '' Buck and the Preacher'' (1972). She also acted in the Ossie Davis film '' Black Girl'' (1972), and the
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...
films '' Do the Right Thing'' (1989) and ''
Jungle Fever ''Jungle Fever'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. Starring Lee, Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent, ...
'' (1991). For her performance in '' American Gangster'' (2007), Dee was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
and won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Dee received two
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
nominations for her roles in '' The Doctors and the Nurses'' (1964) and ''
Decoration Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States for National day of mourning, mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States ...
'' (1990). She was nominated for her other roles in '' Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979), '' Lincoln'' (1988), '' China Beach'' (1990), and ''
Evening Shade ''Evening Shade'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 21, 1990, to May 23, 1994. The series stars Burt Reynolds as Woodrow "Wood" Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns to rural ...
'' (1993). She also acted in ''
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ''I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'' is a 1969 autobiography describing the young and early years of American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a Maya Angelou#Chronology of autobiographies, seven-volume series, it is a Bildungsroman, ...
'' (1979), '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (1982), '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'' (1985), '' The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson'' (1990), and '' The Stand'' (1994). She voiced Alice the Great in the Nick Jr. series ''
Little Bill ''Little Bill'' is an American animated educational children's television series created by Bill Cosby. It is based on the ''Little Bill'' book series, written by Cosby with illustrations by Varnette P. Honeywood. Cosby also composed some of th ...
'' from 1999 to 2004.


Early life and education

Dee was born Ruby Ann Wallace on October 27, 1922, in
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
,
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
,"Ruby Dee marks 90th birthday with new documentary about her illustrious life with late husband Ossie Davis"
''
New York Daily News The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'', November 13, 2012.
the daughter of Gladys (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Hightower) and Marshall Edward Nathaniel Wallace, a cook, waiter and porter. After her mother left the family, Dee's father remarried, to Emma Amelia Benson, a schoolteacher. Dee was raised in
Harlem, New York Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan ...
. Prior to attending
Hunter College High School Hunter College High School is a public academic magnet secondary school located in the Carnegie Hill section of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is administered and funded by Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) and no t ...
, she studied at Public Schools 119 and 136. Then, she went on to graduate from
Hunter College Hunter College is a public university in New York City, United States. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools ...
with a degree in
Romance language The Romance languages, also known as the Latin or Neo-Latin languages, are the languages that are Language family, directly descended from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-E ...
s in 1945. She was a member of
Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...
.


Career


1940–1959: Early acting roles

Dee joined the American Negro Theatre as an apprentice, working with Sidney Poitier,
Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...
, and Hilda Simms. She made her Broadway debut portraying a Native in the play South Pacific (1943). She played the title role in the
Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of Realism (theatre), realism, earlier associated with ...
play '' Anna Lucasta''. She met her future husband Ossie Davis in the post-
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
play '' Jeb'' (1946). That same year she was in her first onscreen role in the musical '' That Man of Mine'' (1946). The following year she acted in the crime film '' The Fight Never Ends'' (1947). She received national recognition for her portrayal of
Rachel Robinson Rachel Annetta Robinson (''née'' Isum; born July 19, 1922) is an American former professor and registered nurse. She is the widow of professional baseball player Jackie Robinson. After her husband's death, she founded the Jackie Robinson Found ...
in the sports drama film '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950).
Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' praised Dee's performance describing her as "the well restrained sweetheart". Also in 1950 she had an uncredited role in film noir '' No Way Out'' directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. She continued acting in films such as the historical crime film '' The Tall Target'' (1951), the sports film '' Go Man Go'' (1954), the music film '' St. Louis Blues'' (1958), and the British drama '' Virgin Island'' (1958). During this time she took a role in the film noir '' Edge of the City'' (1957) starring alongside
John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes (December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American filmmaker and actor. He began as an actor in film and television before helping to pioneer modern American independent cinema as a writer and director, often self- ...
and Sidney Poitier.


1959–1979: Breakthrough and acclaim

In 1959 she gained prominence for originating the role of Ruth Younger in the
Lorraine Hansberry Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was an American playwright and writer. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Her best-known work, the play ''A Raisin ...
's play '' A Raisin in the Sun'' which premiered on Broadway. She acted alongside Sidney Poitier and
Louis Gossett Jr. Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. (May 27, 1936 – March 29, 2024) was an American actor. He made his stage debut at the age of 17. Shortly thereafter, he successfully auditioned for the Broadway theatre, Broadway play ''Take a Giant Step.'' Gossett co ...
The play was the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway. She reprised the role in the 1961 film of the same name. She returned to Broadway in the Ossie Davis satirical farce '' Purlie Victorious'' (1961) portraying Lutiebell Gussie Mae Jenkins. Howard Taubman of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' wrote of Dee's performance, " hehas been treated generously. As Lutiebell she has enough humor and charm to make one envy Purlie Victorious that she is eager disciple". She acted opposite her husband Ossie Davis and
Alan Alda Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner and a three-time Tony Award nominee, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pier ...
in his acting debut. They reprised their roles of the 1963 film entitled, '' Gone Are the Days!'' which was produced by Brock Peters and directed by Nicholas Webster. Her career in acting crossed all major forms of media over a span of eight decades, including the films '' A Raisin in the Sun'', in which she recreated her stage role as a suffering housewife in the projects, and '' Edge of the City''. She played both roles opposite Poitier. She received the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstand ...
for her role on '' The Doctors and the Nurses'' (1964). In 1965, Dee performed in lead roles at the American Shakespeare Festival as Kate in ''
The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...
'' and Cordelia in ''
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
'', becoming the first black actress to portray a lead role in the festival. In 1963 she acted in the film '' The Balcony'' with
Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American film actress whose career spanned seven decades. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ' ...
,
Peter Falk Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011) was an American film and television actor. He is best known for his role as Columbo (character), Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/American Broadcasting Company, ABC series ''Columbo'' (196 ...
,
Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. In a career spanning over seven decades, she won an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Directors Guil ...
, and
Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy ( ; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor and director, famous for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes Development of Spock, originating Spock in Star Trek: T ...
. She then acted in the film noir '' The Incident'' (1967), the drama film '' Uptight'' (1968), and the documentary '' King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis'' (1970). In 1969, Dee appeared in 20 episodes of '' Peyton Place''. She acted in Ossie Davis' films '' Black Girl'' (1972) and '' Countdown at Kusini'' (1976) and the Western film '' Buck and the Preacher'' with Sidney Poitier and
Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...
. She appeared as Cora Sanders, a Marxist college professor, in season 1, episode 14 of '' Police Woman'', entitled "Target Black" which aired on Friday night, January 3, 1975. The character of Cora Sanders was obviously, but loosely, influenced by the real-life
Angela Davis Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American Marxist and feminist political activist, philosopher, academic, and author. She is Distinguished Professor Emerita of Feminist Studies and History of Consciousness at the University of ...
. She appeared in one episode of ''
The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...
sixth season. She played Queen Haley in the miniseries '' Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979) for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. She acted in the CBS television film ''
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings ''I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'' is a 1969 autobiography describing the young and early years of American writer and poet Maya Angelou. The first in a Maya Angelou#Chronology of autobiographies, seven-volume series, it is a Bildungsroman, ...
'' (1979) based on the
Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credi ...
autobiography of the same name.


1980–2014

Dee was nominated for eight
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
, winning once for her role in the 1990 TV film ''
Decoration Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States for National day of mourning, mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States ...
''. She was nominated for her television guest appearance in the '' China Beach'' episode, "Skylark". Her husband Ossie Davis (1917–2005) also appeared in the episode. She appeared in
Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...
's 1989 film '' Do the Right Thing'', and his 1991 film ''
Jungle Fever ''Jungle Fever'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced and directed by Spike Lee. Starring Lee, Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro, Frank Vincent, ...
''. She starred in the television films portraying Mary Tyrone in '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (1982) and Mrs. Grimes in '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'' (1985). Dee returned to Broadway in the play ''Checkmates'' written by Ron Milner. She acted alongside
Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
, Paul Winfield and Marsha Jackson. In 1990 she portrayed
Zora Neale Hurston Zora Neale Hurston (January 7, 1891 – January 28, 1960) was an American writer, anthropologist, folklorist, and documentary filmmaker. She portrayed racial struggles in the early-20th-century American South and published research on Hoodoo ...
in ''Zora Is My Name!'' and played
Jackie Robinson Jack Roosevelt Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American professional baseball player who became the first Black American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the Baseball color line, ...
's mother in '' The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson''. That same year she earned a
Primetime Emmy Award The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
for her role in ''
Decoration Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holidays in the United States, federal holiday in the United States for National day of mourning, mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States ...
'' (1990). She played Mother Abagail Freemantle in the
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
miniseries '' The Stand'' (1994). She collaborated with comedian
Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
acting in both '' Cosby'' in 1998 and voicing Alice the Great in the Nick Jr. animated series ''
Little Bill ''Little Bill'' is an American animated educational children's television series created by Bill Cosby. It is based on the ''Little Bill'' book series, written by Cosby with illustrations by Varnette P. Honeywood. Cosby also composed some of th ...
'' from 1999 to 2004. The next year she and Davis were awarded the
National Medal of Arts The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and Patronage, patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and ar ...
from President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
. In 2003, she narrated a series of WPA &
slave narrative The slave narrative is a type of literary genre involving the (written) autobiographical accounts of enslaved persons, particularly African diaspora, Africans enslaved in the Americas, though many other examples exist. Over six thousand such narra ...
s in the HBO film '' Unchained Memories''. They were also recipients of the 2004
Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to Culture of the United States, American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in ...
. In 2007 the
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. The award has had several minor name changes: * In 1959 the award was known as Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word * From 1960 to 1961 it was awarded as Best Perform ...
was shared by Dee and Ossie Davis for ''With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together'', and former President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...
. Dee portrayed Mama Lucas in the
Ridley Scott Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. He directs films in the Science fiction film, science fiction, Crime film, crime, and historical drama, historical epic genres, with an atmospheric and highly co ...
directed crime film '' American Gangster'' (2007). Dee acted alongside
Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
and
Russell Crowe Russell Ira Crowe (born 7 April 1964) is an actor and film director. Russell Crowe filmography, His work on screen has earned him List of awards and nominations received by Russell Crowe, various accolades, including an Academy Award, two Gold ...
. For her performance she was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
losing to Tilda Swinton for her role in the legal thriller '' Michael Clayton'' (2007). She won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role for the same performance. At 85 years of age, Dee is currently the third oldest nominee for Best Supporting Actress, behind
Gloria Stuart Gloria Frances Stuart (born Gloria Stewart; July 4, 1910 – September 26, 2010) was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. She was known for her roles in pre-code films, and garnered renewed fame late in life for her portrayal of Ro ...
and
Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatility, having appeared in films and television, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage ...
(both 87). On February 12, 2009, Dee joined the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College orchestra and chorus, along with the Riverside Inspirational Choir and NYC Labor Choir, in honoring Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday at the Riverside Church in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Under the direction of Maurice Peress, they performed Earl Robinson's ''The Lonesome Train: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra'', in which Dee was the narrator. Dee's last role in a theatrically released film was in the
Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. H ...
comedy '' A Thousand Words'', in which she portrayed the mother of Murphy's protagonist. In 2013 she narrated the Lifetime film '' Betty & Coretta'' starring Angela Bassett and
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
. Her final film role is in ''
1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
'', which premiered at the
2013 Toronto International Film Festival The 38th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 5 and 15, 2013. ''The Fifth Estate (film), The Fifth Estate'' was selected as the opening film and ''Life of Crime (film), Life o ...
and was released on
home video Home video is recorded media sold or Video rental shop, rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. ...
on March 1, 2016. It is unknown whether her final role will ever be seen, as ''King Dog'' was in production at the time of her death, and no release date has ever been announced.


Personal life


Marriage

Ruby Wallace married blues singer Frankie Dee Brown in 1941, and began using his middle name as her stage name. The couple divorced in 1945. Three years later she married actor Ossie Davis, whom she met while costarring in
Robert Ardrey Robert Ardrey (October 16, 1908 – January 14, 1980) was an American playwright, screenwriter and science writing, science writer perhaps best known for ''The Territorial Imperative'' (1966). After a Broadway (theatre), Broadway and Cinema of th ...
's 1946 Broadway play '' Jeb''. Together, Dee and Davis wrote an autobiography in which they discussed their political activism and their decision to have an open marriage (later changing their views). Together they had three children: son, blues musician Guy Davis, and two daughters, Nora Day and Hasna Muhammad. Dee was a
breast cancer Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a Breast lump, lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, Milk-rejection sign, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipp ...
survivor of more than three decades. In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Dee's name and picture.


Political activism

Dee and Davis were well-known
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
activists in the Civil Rights Movement. Dee was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
, the
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and later, the Student National Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emer ...
,
Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...
sorority, and the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is an African Americans, African-American civil rights organization based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. SCLC is closely associated with its first president, Martin Luther King Jr., ...
. She was also as an active member of the Harlem Writers Guild for over 40 years. In 1963, Dee emceed the
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (commonly known as the March on Washington or the Great March on Washington) was held in Washington, D.C., on August 28, 1963. The purpose of the march was to advocate for the civil and economic righ ...
. Dee and Davis were both personal friends of both
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
and
Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...
, with Davis giving the eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral in 1965. In 1970, she won the
Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. He was the most impor ...
Award from the New York
Urban League The National Urban League (NUL), formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for Afri ...
. In 1999, Dee and Davis were arrested at 1 Police Plaza, the headquarters of the
New York Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
, protesting the police shooting of Amadou Diallo. In early 2003, ''
The Nation ''The Nation'' is a progressive American monthly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper ...
'' published "Not in Our Name", an open proclamation vowing opposition to the impending US invasion of Iraq. Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis were among the signatories, along with
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...
,
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American professor and public intellectual known for his work in linguistics, political activism, and social criticism. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a ...
, Susan Sarandon, and
Howard Zinn Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922January 27, 2010) was an American historian and a veteran of World War II. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. Zinn ...
, among others. In November 2005, Dee was awarded – along with her late husband – the Lifetime Achievement Freedom Award, presented by the National Civil Rights Museum located in Memphis. Dee, a long-time resident of
New Rochelle, New York New Rochelle ( ; in ) is a Political subdivisions of New York State#City, city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately from Midtow ...
, was inducted into the New Rochelle Walk of Fame which honors the most notable residents from throughout the community's 325-year history. She was also inducted into the
Westchester County Westchester County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The county is the seventh most populous cou ...
Women's Hall of Fame on March 30, 2007, joining such other honorees as
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
and Nita Lowey. In 2009, she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
.


Death

Dee died on June 11, 2014, at her home in
New Rochelle, New York New Rochelle ( ; in ) is a Political subdivisions of New York State#City, city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately from Midtow ...
, from natural causes at the age of 91. In a statement, Gil Robertson IV of the African-American Film Critics Association said, "the members of the African American Film Critics Association are deeply saddened at the loss of actress and humanitarian Ruby Dee. Throughout her seven-decade career, Dee embraced different creative platforms with her various interpretations of black womanhood and also used her gifts to champion for Human Rights." "She very peacefully surrendered", said her daughter Nora Day. "We hugged her, we kissed her, we gave her our permission to go. She opened her eyes. She looked at us. She closed her eyes, and she set sail." Following her death, the marquee on the
Apollo Theater The Apollo Theater (formerly the Hurtig & Seamon's New Theatre; also Apollo Theatre or 125th Street Apollo Theatre) is a multi-use Theater (structure), theater at 253 125th Street (Manhattan), West 125th Street in the Harlem neighborhood of U ...
read: "A TRUE APOLLO LEGEND RUBY DEE 1922–2014". Dee was cremated, and her ashes are held in the same urn as that of Davis, with the inscription "In this thing together". A public memorial celebration honoring Dee was held on September 20, 2014, at the Riverside Church in
Upper Manhattan Upper Manhattan is the northern section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, 110th Street (the northern boundary of Central Park), 1 ...
. Their shared urn was buried at Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York.


Acting credits


Filmography


Television


Theatre

* ''On Strivers Row'' (1940) * ''Natural Man'' (1941) * ''Starlight'' (1942) * ''Three's a Family'' (1943) * ''South Pacific'' (1943) * ''Walk Hard'' (1944) * '' Jeb'' (1946) * ''Anna Lucasta'' (1946) (replacement for Hilda Simms) * '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' (1946) * '' John Loves Mary'' (1946) * ''A Long Way From Home'' (1948) * ''The Smile of the World'' (1949) * ''The World of Sholom Aleichem'' (1953) * '' A Raisin in the Sun'' (1959) * '' Purlie Victorious'' (1961) * ''
King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...
'' (1965) * ''
The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...
'' (1965) * '' The Birds'' (1966) * ''
Oresteia The ''Oresteia'' () is a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus in the 5th century BC, concerning the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra, the murder of Clytemnestra by Orestes, the trial of Orestes, the end of the curse on the House ...
'' (1966) * '' Boesman and Lena'' (1970) * ''
The Imaginary Invalid ''The Imaginary Invalid'', ''The Hypochondriac'', or ''The Would-Be Invalid'' ( French title ''Le Malade imaginaire'', ) is a three- act ''comédie-ballet'' by the French playwright Molière with dance sequences and musical interludes ( H.495, H ...
'' (1971) * ''The Wedding Band'' (1972) * ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
'' (1975) * ''
Bus Stop A bus stop is a place where Public transport bus service, buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelter (building), shelters ...
'' (1979) * ''Twin-Bit Gardens'' (1979) * ''Zora is My Name!'' (1983) * ''Checkmates'' (1988) * '' The Glass Menagerie'' (1989) * ''The Disappearance'' (1993) * ''Flying West'' (1994) * ''Two Hahs-Hahs and a Homeboy'' (1995) * ''My One Good Nerve: A Visit with Ruby Dee'' (1996) * ''A Last Dance for Sybil'' (2002) * ''Saint Lucy's Eyes'' (2003)


Awards and nominations


Discography

* ''The Original Read-In for Peace in Vietnam'' ( Folkways Records, 1967) * ''The Poetry of Langston Hughes'' (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, no date, TC 1272) *''Let Us Now Praise Famous Men'' (with George Grizzard. Caedmon Records, 1970, TC 1324) *''Tough Poems For Tough People'' (with Ossie Davis and Henry Braun. Caedmon Records, 1972, TC 1396) *''To Make A Poet Black: The best poems of Countee Cullen'' (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, 1971, TC 1400 *''To Be A Slave'' (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, 1972, TC 2066) *''The Lost Zoo'' (Caedmon Records, 1978, TC 1539) *''Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears and Other Tales'' (with Ossie Davis. Caedmon Records, 1978, TC 1592) * ''What if I am a Woman?, Vol. 1: Black Women's Speeches'' (Folkways, 1977) * ''What if I am a Woman?, Vol. 2: Black Women's Speeches'' (Folkways, 1977) * ''Every Tone a Testimony'' (
Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was f ...
, 2001) *''American Short Stories, Vol 2'', Various Artists (eav Lexington, no date, LE 7703) *''American Short Stories, Vol 3'', Various Artists (eav Lexington, no date, LE 7704) *''I've got a name'', Various Artists (Holt's Impact, 1968, CSM 662) *''At your own risk'', Various Artists (Holt's Impact, 1968, CSM 663) *''Conflict'', Various Artists (Holt's Impact, 1969, CSM 816) *''Sight lines'', Various Artists (Holt's Impact, 1970, SBN 03-071525-3) *''Roses & Revolutions'', Various Artists (D.S.T. Telecommunications, Inc., Production, 1975) *''New Dimensions in Music'' (with John Cullum. CBS Records, 1976, P 13161)


Bibliography

* * *


See also

*
List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees This is a list of oldest and youngest Academy Awards, Academy Award winners and nominees in the award categories. This list is based on "statistics valid through the nomination announcement for the 88th Academy Awards, announced on January 14, 2 ...


References


External links

* *
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee

Archive of American Television interview

Ruby Dee
at the Internet Off-Broadway Database *
Ruby Dee's oral history video excerpts
at The National Visionary Leadership Project
Ruby Dee Discography
at
Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was f ...
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dee, Ruby 1922 births 2014 deaths 20th-century African-American women writers 20th-century African-American writers 20th-century African-American actresses 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women writers 21st-century African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American women writers Activists for African-American civil rights Activists from New York (state) Actresses from Cleveland Actresses from Manhattan Actresses from New Rochelle, New York African-American activists African-American history of Westchester County, New York African-American journalists African-American women journalists American film actresses American memoirists American stage actresses American television actresses Burials at Ferncliff Cemetery Caedmon Records artists Delta Sigma Theta members Drama Desk Award winners Grammy Award winners Hunter College alumni Hunter College High School alumni Journalists from New York (state) Kennedy Center honorees Obie Award recipients Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Harlem Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award United States National Medal of Arts recipients American women civil rights activists