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Black History Month: Fredi Washington
Feb. 16th, 2010 07:51 pmToday's entry deals with a remarkable woman of talent and achievement, and her decision when faced with the cost of fame.
Fredi Washington was an African-American actress who's most groundbreaking role was in the 1934 movie version of the book "Imitation of Life" (not to be confused with the remade later version made in 1959, starring Lana Turner and Juanita Moore). Not only was she an actress, she also helped found the Negro Actors Guild of America(NAG) back in the 1930's, which exists to this day.
Back then, most movie roles for black people were highly limited. We were usually only able to portray maids and other domestic workers. And romance on screen? Out of the question - and especially not with a non-black man! We were portrayed as sexless, and our beauty was downplayed or ridiculed for not being the "standard" - either through dressing us in drab servant garbs or through caricature and minstrel acts poking fun at our physical features.
What's notable about Fredi Washington is that Hollywood was astounded by her talent - especially after her role as Peola (a biracial woman who was light enough that she could "pass" for white, and her troubles dealing with her heritage). Interestingly enough, when the movie was remade two decades later, the actress playing the role that Fredi Washington played (plenty of things were changed between the two movies, including the names - Peola was now called Sarah Jane) was a white woman (of Mexican and Jewish descent), and not a biracial one of African descent as the role was about. In a way, the 1934 version was slightly more progressive than the later version! Most importantly though, Hollywood recognized Fredi Washington's talent due to the role, and Hollywood was willing to make her a star - with one exception: they wanted her to "pass" for white.
Here it was; the chance of a lifetime. Become a fabulous movie star, getting role after role while calling yourself a white woman and getting all the perks of being white - or, sticking with your heritage as a black woman and being relegated to roles as domestic servants, being treated as a black woman, and even darkening your skin to play more roles as a black woman. These two choices: fame and ignoring your heritage, or no fame and being proud of your heritage.
Peola, the character Fredi Washington played in Imitation of Life, probably would have chosen to pass. However, Fredi Washington - the actual woman - chose otherwise: to remain true to her heritage, even in the face of a diminished career. Eventually, she quit making movies in disgust at her treatment as a black actress - but that did not prevent her from fighting back against such treatment of black actors and actresses throughout the rest of her lifetime.
Truly a woman to admire.
Sources:
Fredi Washington on Wiki; a fansite; IMDB
Imitation of Life (book version) on Wiki
Imitation of Life (1934 version) on Wiki and IMDB
Imitation of Live (1934 version) Movie Playlist on Youtube.
Imitation of Life (1959 version) on Wiki; IMDB and the Movie Playlist on Youtube
Negro Actors Guild of America (NAG) on Blackpast.org
Fredi Washington was an African-American actress who's most groundbreaking role was in the 1934 movie version of the book "Imitation of Life" (not to be confused with the remade later version made in 1959, starring Lana Turner and Juanita Moore). Not only was she an actress, she also helped found the Negro Actors Guild of America(NAG) back in the 1930's, which exists to this day.
Back then, most movie roles for black people were highly limited. We were usually only able to portray maids and other domestic workers. And romance on screen? Out of the question - and especially not with a non-black man! We were portrayed as sexless, and our beauty was downplayed or ridiculed for not being the "standard" - either through dressing us in drab servant garbs or through caricature and minstrel acts poking fun at our physical features.
What's notable about Fredi Washington is that Hollywood was astounded by her talent - especially after her role as Peola (a biracial woman who was light enough that she could "pass" for white, and her troubles dealing with her heritage). Interestingly enough, when the movie was remade two decades later, the actress playing the role that Fredi Washington played (plenty of things were changed between the two movies, including the names - Peola was now called Sarah Jane) was a white woman (of Mexican and Jewish descent), and not a biracial one of African descent as the role was about. In a way, the 1934 version was slightly more progressive than the later version! Most importantly though, Hollywood recognized Fredi Washington's talent due to the role, and Hollywood was willing to make her a star - with one exception: they wanted her to "pass" for white.
Here it was; the chance of a lifetime. Become a fabulous movie star, getting role after role while calling yourself a white woman and getting all the perks of being white - or, sticking with your heritage as a black woman and being relegated to roles as domestic servants, being treated as a black woman, and even darkening your skin to play more roles as a black woman. These two choices: fame and ignoring your heritage, or no fame and being proud of your heritage.
Peola, the character Fredi Washington played in Imitation of Life, probably would have chosen to pass. However, Fredi Washington - the actual woman - chose otherwise: to remain true to her heritage, even in the face of a diminished career. Eventually, she quit making movies in disgust at her treatment as a black actress - but that did not prevent her from fighting back against such treatment of black actors and actresses throughout the rest of her lifetime.
Truly a woman to admire.
Sources:
Fredi Washington on Wiki; a fansite; IMDB
Imitation of Life (book version) on Wiki
Imitation of Life (1934 version) on Wiki and IMDB
Imitation of Live (1934 version) Movie Playlist on Youtube.
Imitation of Life (1959 version) on Wiki; IMDB and the Movie Playlist on Youtube
Negro Actors Guild of America (NAG) on Blackpast.org
