The Resume

(February 20, 1908-June 26, 1943)
Born in Pontotoc, Mississippi
Acted in 'The Emperor Jones (1933)' and 'Birth of the Blues (1941)'
Originated the role of Serena in 'Porgy and Bess' on Broadway (1935)
Signature song was 'My Man's Gone Now'

Why she might be annoying:

She married twice.
She only made one commercial recording, making her an afterthought for many historians.
She was replaced by 'Bess' actress Anne Brown on the official cast recording of 'Porgy and Bess.'

Why she might not be annoying:

She was a graduate of Juilliard.
She sang at Harlem's Apollo Theater and in the Hollywood Bowl.
Her father abandoned the family when she was five.
She made her film debut with Paul Robeson while still in college.
She performed at the White House for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's luncheon for the Supreme Court Justices' wives (December 15, 1937).
She met her second husband while touring for 'Porgy.'
She died following a routine surgery to remove a benign tumor gone wrong.
She was preparing to star in the title role of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida at the time of her death.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Black and Beautiful
• Black Women Loved by Whites
• BoyWiththeGreenHair’s Profiles [Series 15]
• I am From Motown [Detroit Area]
• I Attended Juilliard
• I Died in 1943 (Ranked: 35)
• I Recorded 'Summertime'
• Opera Singers and Composers
• Paul Robeson’s Leading Ladies
• Profiles 46251-46500 (Ranked: 46375)
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19430626)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying