Melanade is a place for women of color, who are doing great things in the world, to be honored. I am quite aware that Beah Richards is deceased, however, I feel her voice and bodies of work are still making a great impact in this world.
Beah Richards(1920 – 2000) was a poet, playwright and author, but she was best known as an actress of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” fame, where she earned an Academy Award nomination.She was a at home on the stage, staring in James Baldwin’s “Amen Corner”. She was also a staple on television throughout her career. In 1988 she received her first Emmy for her performance in ‘Frank’s Place’ and again in 2000 she was honored with the Emmy just days before her death for her role in ‘The Practice’.
She was a strong activist who fought for equality for blacks in America. She did not hold her tongue and was willing to die for her beliefs. In 2004, Lisa Gay Hamilton accepted The Peabody Award for Beah:A Black Woman Speaks, a biographical film about Beah’s life.
Lisa W. Tetting 