So nice to see The Root's great slideshow of Black stars from the first half of the twentieth century, especially the brilliant Canada Lee and Harry Belafonte, both of whom deserve far more attention.
Great to see the inimitable Hazel Scott getting a shout-out in Teen Vogue! Scott was a jazz pianist, performer, and media royalty of her time. Unlike traditional royalty, she was also a powerful voice for change before being blacklisted.
The March on Washington Film Festival is screening a documentary about Hazel Scott's art and activism. The film was produced by the Apollo Theater, narrated by Hazel Scott biographer Karen Chilton, and features performances by pianist Damien Sneed and saxophonist & vocalist Camille Thurman. Full information here.
Terrific article on Hazel Scott by biographer Karen Chilton. In 1950, Scott brought a successful lawsuit against a restaurant near Spokane, Washington, where she and a traveling companion had been denied service, the waitress told them, “because they were Negroes.”[fn]“Hazel Scott Attorneys Score in Initial Round,” Spokane Daily Chronicle, April 17, 1950.
Pianist Hazel Scott was a child prodigy--a gifted pianist and performer; a talented actress; and a civil rights leader, whose landmark lawsuit against a restaurant in Pasco, Washington that refused to serve her.