Unsung Heroes: Who was the Black Garbo?
Before Beyonce played Carmen, Dorothy Dandridge was the original. Before Meagan Good became a cinematic sex symbol, Nina Mae McKinney was the first to do it all.
Dubbed the ‘Black Garbo’ after the popular actress Greta Garbo[and garbo being the Italian word for grace and politeness], Nina Mae McKinney was the first Black movie star of the early 20th century. A multifaceted performer, she did more than act; she was a singer, band leader and comedienne. Big and bright in both talent and personality, her contribution and achievements in the movie industry was often overlooked and she was placed into the archives of Hollywood’s past.
McKinney was born to young teenage parents in June of 1913 in Lancaster, South Carolina but was raised by her grandmother. She worked as a domestic for the Col. Sanders estate, the same family estates that McKinney’s family had been working for several years. She was sent to New York to live with her parents and the age of 12 and she began her acting career some time after. McKinney’s ability to entertain the crowds with her vivacious humor was often spoken of by family and friends. From the New York move, she went on to be cast in movies, such as Show People, Blackbirds and Hallelujah. Many stereotypes were created for Chick, McKinney’s character in Hallelujah: Black Temptress, Femme Fatale, Seductress and Vamp. Because of McKinney, Chick became the girl everyone loved to hate.
The audience was able to feel what she was feeling and cry, laugh or dance with her. Her performance was a history in the making. King Vidor, her director, knew that she was the ‘it’ girl of her time but, unfortunately, the talent that she had wasn’t enough to take on the challenge of the oppression of the Black actress. There weren’t many roles available for women of color during the 1930s and though MGM cast her in two movies, the small roles didn’t even compare to McKinney’s work in Hallelujah. She acted in more than 20 movies and made a name for herself as a musician.
McKinney was at the peak of her career when she toured with the well-known pianist, Garland Wilson, in France and England. She also performed for many figures of royalty, such as King George V of London. Below is a video clip of her singing with the Eubie Blake Orchestra in 1932.
Video clip courtesy of Youtube.com.
Nina Mae McKinney’s contribution to the performing arts industry is overlooked despite the amount of success she achieved. Previously cast for the 1935 movie, Reckless, McKinney’s scenes were cut out because the production team felt that the audience wasn’t ready to be exposed to such a glamorous Black woman. This prompted her to travel overseas where she became more successful and also became competition for other Black actresses, like Josephine Baker.
McKinney passed away of a heart attack in May of 1963 at the age of 53. A small obituary posting at a local newspaper was the only announcement of her passing. Resources to her archives are limited but, can be found on a Nina Mae McKinney tribute website, a tribute page on Myspace and rare video clips and photos online.
Photos courtesy of Lipstick.Lace.Brassknuckles.
