Ruby Dee

Hello! My name is Ruby Dee, and I want to share my story with you. I was born Ruby Ann Wallace on October 27th, 1922, in a city called Cleveland, Ohio. But I grew up in a busy, exciting neighborhood in New York City called Harlem. Even as a little girl, I loved words. I loved reading poems and stories, and I loved the way words could paint a picture in your mind. I knew that I wanted to be an actress and tell important stories.

I went to college to keep learning, and in 1945, I started acting with a group called the American Negro Theatre. It was a special place where Black actors could shine. That's where I met a wonderful man named Ossie Davis. He was an actor, too, and we fell in love and got married in 1948. We acted together in plays and movies. One of my most famous roles was in a play called 'A Raisin in the Sun' in 1959. It was about a Black family chasing their dreams, and I was so proud to be part of it.

Being an actress was wonderful, but Ossie and I knew we could use our voices for something more. During the 1950s and 1960s, we joined the Civil Rights Movement. We believed that everyone, no matter the color of their skin, deserved to be treated with fairness and respect. We became good friends with leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We marched with them and gave speeches to help fight for equality for all people.

Ossie and I received many awards for our work, including one called the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004. I lived to be 91 years old, and my life was full of stories, both on stage and off. I hope people remember me not just for the characters I played, but for using my voice to help make the world a kinder and fairer place for everyone.