Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge was one of the trailblazing African-American women in the industry during her time. Thanks to the success of Carmen Jones she was able to break barriers and inspire younger women to pursue their own dreams. She was living proof that despite the challenges, it is not impossible to achieve what one sets their heart to. She may have started out being praised more for her looks, but Hollywood eventually recognized her talent as a performer. Needless to say, she won plenty of praise for her performances.

Aside from finding success, she also holds a number of firsts when it comes to women during her time. She is given credit for being the first performer at the Empire Room inside Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York. We have actresses like Halle Berry today partly with thanks to Dorothy Dandridge’s contributions to her community.