Dorothy Dandridge
Dandridge in screenshot from trailer for ”The Decks Ran Red,” 1958
Birth Name: Dorothy Jean Dandridge
Date of Birth: November 9, 1922
Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Date of Death: September 8, 1965
Place of Death: West Hollywood, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, some English
Dorothy Dandridge was an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was known for her films Carmen Jones, Tamango, Porgy and Bess, and many more. She was one of the first black actresses to be a star in Hollywood.
Her father, Cyril H. Dandridge, was a minister and cabinetmaker, born in Ohio. Her mother, Ruby Dandridge (born Ruby Jean Butler), born in Wichita, Kansas, was an actress from 1900 until the 1950s. Dorothy’s parents were both black, and she also had some English ancestry. Dorothy’s mother’s family was from North Carolina.
Dorothy was the sister of actress, dancer, and singer Vivian Dandridge. She had a daughter with her former husband, dancer and entertainer Harold Nicholas, of the Nicholas Brothers.
In her autobiography, Everything and Nothing: The Dorothy Dandridge Tragedy, 1970, co-written with Earl Conrad, Dorothy stated that her mother had Jamaican, Mexican, and Native American ancestry. It appears that these statements were inaccurate.
Dorothy’s paternal grandfather was James Henry Dandridge (the son of Albert Dandridge and Edwina/Edmonia Warren). James was born in Canada.
Dorothy’s paternal grandmother was Florence Jessie Locke (the daughter of John/Joshua Locke and Ellen/Elnora Johnson). Florence was born in Canada. John was born in England. Ellen was born in Kentucky.
Dorothy’s maternal grandfather was named George Frank Butler.
Dorothy’s maternal grandmother was named Nellie Simmons/Simon.
Source: Genealogy of Dorothy Dandridge – https://www.wikitree.com
Well it says the information was stated from her autobiography. You can’t argue with someone about their own race. Whatever race she was — she was a beautiful woman.
Where in the world do you get your facts? Because they aren’t facts. Her mother was a black woman, and dad white. Mexican, German, and all those other mixes… my foot.
Her mother was of Irish, German, Jamaican, and Native American descent. Did not see anything on her mother having Mexican ancestry, though it could be possible. Her father was of English, Scottish, and African American descent. She was indeed a BEAUTIFUL woman. She was the “Halle Berry” of her time
The fact is that she was mixed, just accept it! Jeezusssss.
And to the retard that said she was CREOLE!!!!! CREOLE is FRENCH & AFRICAN!
Naw… creole is wayyy more than french and african mixture..
It is any mixture of european and a person born of the land in which the europeans inhabited. Like cubans are called crilloes, as well as haitians…etc.