Beah Richards (1920–2000,) born Beulah Elizabeth Richardson, was an American actress, playwright, poet, and activist known for her powerful performances and civil rights contributions. Her career spanned stage, film, and television, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards.
Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Richards graduated from Dillard University (1948) and moved to New York City to pursue acting. She débuted on Broadway in Take a Giant Step (1955) and later starred in The Miracle Worker (1959) and Purlie Victorious (1961.) Her performance in James Baldwin’s The Amen Corner (1965) earned a Tony Award nomination.
She gained national recognition for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967,) earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She appeared in films such as Hurry Sundown (1967,) The Great White Hope (1970,) and Beloved (1998.) On television, she won Emmys for Frank’s Place (1988) and The Practice (2000.)
Beyond acting, Richards was a prolific writer. Her most notable work, A Black Woman Speaks (1950,) is a poetry collection addressing racial and gender oppression. She also wrote One Is a Crowd (1951,) a play about racial injustice.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Beah Richards
The world needs to hear what you have to say. The last word has not been spoken.
—Beah Richards
Both class and race survive education, and neither should. What is education then? If it doesn’t help a human being to recognize that humanity is humanity, what is it for? So you can make a bigger salary than other people?
—Beah Richards
Topics: Education
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