McKinney, Nina Mae
c. 1912–1967 · Contribution: 1928–1960s
Actress, singer, dancer
Pioneering actress, singer, and dancer who starred in MGM’s Hallelujah! and became one of Hollywood’s earliest recognized Black female film stars
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Quick facts
- Born
- c. 1912, Lancaster, South Carolina
- Active since
- 1928
- Category
- Arts, Music & Entertainment Tech
- Best known for
- Hallelujah!Early Black female film stardomInternational stage and screen career
Impact on the world
McKinney showed that a Black woman could command a major motion-picture role as a central dramatic performer during an era when Hollywood restricted Black actresses to stereotypes and marginal roles.
An alternative history
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Sources
- Exact sourceOpen
Library of Congress: Hallelujah! essay, National Film Registry
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