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Ruby Dee was born in 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio. A famous African American actress during the 1960s, she was also an avid social rights activist for racial equality and equal rights during the Civil Rights Movement.
Ruby went to Hunter College and earned a degree in Spanish and French in 1945. After college, she worked with the American Negro Theatre. At only 17, she first appeared in a play called On Strivers Row. Later, she acted in several Broadway shows.
In 1946, she met actor Ossie Davis. They married in 1948 and worked together for more than 50 years in many movies, plays, and TV shows.
Even though Ruby and Ossie never acted in a play at Cleveland’s Karamu House, they had a significant impact on the people there. They often visited Karamu to give speeches, lead master classes, and support the theater’s mission. Ossie Davis’ play Purlie Victorious was performed at Karamu many times in the late 1960s and 1970s.
While acting, Ruby noticed that she was treated differently because of her race. That didn’t stop her, though, because she used her hard work and voice to stand up for justice.
Even though it was hard for Black actors to get roles during that time, Ruby kept going. She became a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. She marched with Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and became close friends with them.
During the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, Ruby helped lead by using her acting skills as an emcee. After Malcolm X died, she was honored with reading the eulogy at his funeral.
She and her husband joined many civil rights events and supported almost every major group, including the NAACP, the Congress of Racial Equality, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Black Panther Party.
At first, Ruby didn’t think of herself as an activist. She said she just cared deeply about people. But her actions helped bring people together to fight racism.
Ruby Dee passed away but her voice and courage live on.
Ruby Dee passed away June 11, 2014 at the age of 91 years, in New Rochelle, NY. Her courage, talent and heart left a lasting impact, and so did her many honors:
- Emmy Award (1991): Best Supporting Actress in a TV Special
- Grammy Award (2007): Best Spoken Word Album
- National Medal of Arts (1995)
- Kennedy Center Honors (2004)
- NAACP Image Awards for their 1996 CBS series “Promised Land,”
- Screen Actors’ Guild Life achievement Award (2000 , 6th Annual)
Her story reminds us that we all have a part to play in making the world fairer. Her life encourages us to stand up for what’s right and never give up on justice.
