As we acknowledge the life of Ruby Dee, I encourage you to visit IMDB (Internet Movie Database) and review the career Ms Dee crafted. You will find some favorite roles that she portrayed, and you will probably be surprised by some others that she played.
Some of the most memorable roles for me include mother to Flipper and Gator in “Jungle Fever”, and in Mother Sister in “Do the Right Thing”. She played these roles effortlessly seeming not to be acting at all. One of her earlier roles that I found interesting was Rae Robinson in “The Jackie Robinson Story” in 1950.
Her artistic abilities are without question, but what should also be acknowledged is the advocacy she and her husband, Ossie Davis, provided for education. She and Mr. Davis championed the need for quality education for children, particularly economically disadvantaged children. They believed that all children are important; that all children deserve to be educated; and that the only way that this will happen is if we, the adults in the room, take up the cause. In 1990, I had the opportunity to interview Ms Dee and Mr. Davis and hear, first hand, their passion for learning. You can see a portion of their discussion at SoulVisionTV.com. Their advocacy, no doubt, has made a difference in many places, and in many lives; and it still drives those who desire to make a difference in the lives of the future generations.
SAM
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