Black Artists, Athletes, and Actors of the 20th Century

The 1930s to 1950s saw immense change throughout American society and culture. At the forefront was Black artistry influencing the cultural zeitgeist. From music, film, and poetry, African Americans and other POC were expressing themselves in music, dance, and film.     

Just like William P. Gottlieb, another photographer in the scene was ready to capture history in the making. That man was Carl Van Vechten, born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a love for music and theater. He left his hometown and attended the University of Chicago in 1899. In 1906 he moved to New York City and got a job at the New York Times and by the 1930s he started photographing many prominent artists. 

1. Althea Gibson 

Althea Gibson dressed in an evening gown on November 20th, 1958. (Photo by Carl Van Vechten) 

Before Venus and Serena Williams took over the tennis world there was Althea Gibson. Gibson was born on August 25th, 1927 in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Her parents were sharecroppers and in 1930 her family moved to Harlem. Gibson was credited as one of the first Black athletes to cross the color line for tennis, similar to what Jackie Robinson did for baseball. She has won 58 titles in singles and doubles and had a 53-9 record at Wimbledon, the French Open, and Australian Open respectively. She was also a professional golfer, starting her career at the age of 37.  

2. Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway in 1933? (Photo by Carl Van Vechten)

                                                               

I first became aware of Cab Calloway when I first watched the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. He played a music promoter and father figure to the titular characters Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues. This role would be his most famous and last role. Born on Christmas day in 1907, he was raised in Rochester, New York. He briefly attended law school in Chicago but ultimately left school to become a nightclub singer and by 1928 he became a bandleader. Most well-known for his wild antics on stage and his signature white tuxedo. Calloway had a prolific career and was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1993. His daughter created an art school in his honor in 1992. 

3. Debria Brown 

Debria Brown as Carmen, Act 1 on December 15th, 1958. (Photo by Carl Van Vechten)

Debria Brown was born Debria M. Brown in New Orleans, LA on October 26th, 1936. She sang mezzo-soprano and had an international opera career for 50 years. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1958. She was classmates with famed dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham while in New York City. Later that year she would go on to make her professional opera debut with the New York City Opera starring in the role of Carmen from Georges Bizet's famous opera. She was a guest artist in opera houses in Germany during the 1960s and had a strong presence in opera from the 1960s and 1970s. In 1992, she took on the position of Professor of Voice and Artist in Residence at the University of Houston until her passing in 2001. 

4. Ralph Bunche 

Ralph Bunche on May 16th, 1951. (Photo by Carl Van Vechten)

Ralph Bunche may not have been known for being a college and high school athlete but he was known for something that may be a bit bigger than that. Ralph Bunche was the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He won the award due to his work in creating a cease-fire between Israelis and Arabs during the war which culminated in the state of Israel in 1948. Born August 7th, 1904 in Detroit, Michigan he was a very educated and studious individual. Having won various awards in elementary and high school he would go on to the University of California on an athletic scholarship, then later attended Harvard University where he earned his master's degree in political science and would later teach at Howard University while also working towards his doctorate at Harvard. That only sums up a small amount of his academic feats as well as his involvement with the civil rights movement. 

5. Bessie Smith 

Bessie Smith holding feathers on February 3rd, 1936. (Photo by Carl Van Vechten) 

Bessie Smith was another pivotal figure during what some called the "Harlem Renaissance". She was a blues and jazz singer nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues", she was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 15th, 1894. She was the youngest of seven children and when her parents passed when she was younger, her six siblings supported themselves by becoming street performers. By 1913, she started performing and seven years later she would garner a name for herself. With successful artists like Mamie Smith paving the way there was a demand for female blues singers. By 1923, she was signed to Columbia Records she went on to have 15 recognized singles from 1923 to 1929. She performed on Broadway, starred in films, and was prominent during the swing era. She tragically passed away at the age of 43 in a car accident.