Ruby Dee was a woman whose artistry and activism intertwined to create one of the most inspiring legacies in American history. An actress, poet, and civil rights leader, she broke barriers with grace, using her voice both on and off the stage to fight for equality and representation.

Born October 27, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio, Ruby Dee’s journey began in an era when roles for Black women were limited and often demeaning. But her immense talent and quiet strength set her apart. She graduated from Hunter College and began her career on stage, quickly rising to prominence as one of the most dynamic performers of her generation.

Her breakthrough came with A Raisin in the Sun (1959), where she originated the role of Ruth Younger on Broadway alongside Sidney Poitier. The play, written by Lorraine Hansberry, was the first on Broadway to center a Black family’s experiences and aspirations, and Dee’s performance brought depth and compassion to the role of a wife and mother balancing hope and hardship. When the play was adapted into a film in 1961, she reprised her role — and delivered one of cinema’s most heartfelt portrayals of love and endurance within the Black family experience.

Throughout her career, Ruby Dee brought the same conviction to her activism as she did to her art. Alongside her husband, the late Ossie Davis, she became a central figure in the civil rights movement, working closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The couple often lent their voices, their fame, and their resources to marches, speeches, and causes that advanced justice and equality for all Black Americans.

Her later performances only deepened her legacy. In 2007, at the age of 85, Dee received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in American Gangster, where she portrayed Denzel Washington’s mother, a performance that radiated quiet strength and moral authority.

Beyond her work in film and television, Dee was also a writer and poet, publishing collections that reflected her deep humanity and unwavering belief in freedom, love, and truth. Her memoir, With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together, offered a rare window into one of Hollywood’s most enduring partnerships, a love built on shared values and unbreakable commitment to justice.

Ruby Dee passed away in 2014 at the age of 91, but her influence remains alive in every Black actress who follows her path, unapologetic, brilliant, and fearless. She not only embodied art; she embodied purpose.

Legacy Quote:

“The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within — strength, courage, dignity.” – Ruby Dee