So nice to see The Root's great slideshow of Black stars from the first half of the twentieth century, especially the brilliant Canada Lee and Harry Belafonte, both of whom deserve far more attention.
Like any list, it's worth thinking about some of those who didn't make the cut, notably Paul Robeson, Hazel Scott, Fredi Washington, and Ethel Waters. Like Canada Lee, Robeson, Scott, and Washington all suffered grave reputational damage because of their political activities and the ensuing blacklist.
Here's the cover of Shirley Graham's book about Paul Robeson.
