A Tribute To Nina Mae McKinney - The First Black and Beautiful Movie Star

Nina Mae became the first black movie star and popular entertainer in her time. Nina Mae became the first black woman to have a leading role in the first black cast movie "Hallelujah" and to be signed to a major studio, MGM. Though the movie had stereotypes, Nina Mae took her role as "chick" and introduced a new image of a black woman...beautiful, sexy, vivacious, lively, passionate, emotional, innocent but fierce. In the role she displayed her versatility as an actress, though she never acted before, her naturalness and knowledge of her culture came through and she brought her role alive and made the film a success but not without controversy, as with most of the black films of the time. As a child it was her dream to be an actress, she was told "there were no colored girls in movies or magazines," and that a colored gal could never be a movie star. She took to the stage as a teenager, becoming a chorus girl in the hit musical The Blackbirds of 1929, and there she was discovered, in a chorus line of many beautiful girls and talented stars, Nina outshined them all and caught the attention of director King Vidor. The stage had many black stars, but no black screen stars, but Nina changed that. Her life's dream of being an actress came true, and she took advantage of it, and provided a movie star to the black community, while at the same time, displaying a versatility in acting that Hollywood hadn't yet took advantage of when it came to black actresses. Nina admired Florence Mills and Josephine Baker, and her film role she displayed the versatility in black women, in the role as chick, Nina displayed Flo Mill's sweetness and innocence and Josephine Baker's wild, sexy, in tune with her sexuality on screen, with a touch of her own style. In Hallelujah, Nina set the foundation of a black temptress who uses her feminine wiles to lead men astray, a woman who can't chose between good and bad, who meets a tragic end, Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge would play the same type of temptress roles in their major roles. Like Horne and Dandridge, Nina Mae had her ups and downs in Hollywood. When the movie roles weren't there, Nina Mae used her multi-talents for the stage, she became popular like the women she admired. She was the most talked about in the black newspapers, her love affairs, scandals, thoughts, were often written about. She was the first black women to appear in major pre-dominantly white magazines. She traveled all over the world performing in premier nightclubs and theaters. Her warm, soothing, crooning voice and lively dancing made her another popular entertainer from the Golden Era of Harlem. Nina Mae had other significant film roles and speciality appearances in films singing and dancing. Every opportunity she received she let her vivacious personality glow and her talent entertain. It's unfortunate that the film industry wouldn't give many black actresses a chance. There was a limit to how many they would let appear on screen, it was almost as if they felt one black woman's talent or a few, represented the whole race. Hollywood was blind to the versatility in black actresses. In the 1930's Nina Mae McKinney was the in-demand performer and actress that was sought after to appear on screen. In the 1940's, it was Lena Horne, and in the 1950's Dorothy Dandridge. There were many in each of these women's time that had all the makings of a star but because of the "one black beauty" at a time rule, the world didn't get to enjoy the versatile talent and beauty of black women, like the world got to enjoy the many white actresses beauty and talent. Nina Mae, Lena, and Dorothy had that extra something over all others, that made Hollywood give them a chance, and though they didn't reach their full potential, with the films they were in, they showed they had what it took. They put up with and fought persecution, racism, stereotyping, and not having the freedom as an actress, they suffered so that the next generations of black actresses would have it a little easier. They weren't truly appreciated in ther time, so let's give them that appreciation now.