Hazel Dorothy Scott was a Trinidad-born American jazz and classical pianist and singer. She was born on June 11, 1920 and died October 2, 1981. She was a vocal opponent of racial discrimination and segregation. She used influence to enhance the portrayal of Black Americans in movies. Hazel’s parents got a divorce and she moved with her mother to New York City. Due to this situation, she got extremely close with her mom, and called her mother, “the single biggest influence in my life.”
Who was Hazel Scott, the forgotten jazz virtuoso who fought against racial segregation?
When Hazel Scott entered a venue or any other public space and noticed that it was separated based on race, she immediately left. Hazel Scott made her Broadway debut when she was 22 years old. She objected to playing a maid or a prostitute. In a movie, she would only ever play herself.
She was among the first artists to include a clause in all her contracts prohibiting her from performing for segregated crowds. Scott attributed her bravery to her mother's role model, a proud and independent woman. Scott's popularity and talent also contributed; by 1945, she was drawing sizable crowds and earning an annual salary of more than $1 million. In the summer of 1950, she made history as the first African American woman to host her very own television show.
No comments:
Post a Comment