About
Ossie Davis, born Raiford Chatman Davis in 1917 in Georgia, was a committed actor, playwright, and filmmaker. After studying at Howard University, he made his Broadway debut in 1946. He married Ruby Dee in 1948, forming a legendary artistic and activist partnership. His satirical play 'Purlie Victorious' (1961) was a major success. He directed 'Cotton Comes to Harlem' (1970), a landmark of Black American cinema. A civil rights activist, he delivered eulogies for Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. He received the National Medal of Arts in 1995 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.
* 1917-12-18 — † 2005-02-04
Major works
- Purlie Victorious (1961)play
- Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)film
- Escape to Freedom: A Play About Young Frederick Douglass (1976)children's book
- With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Togetheraudio album
Key milestones
- 1963Helped organize and emceed the March on Washington.
- 1965Delivered the eulogy at Malcolm X's funeral.
- 1995Received the National Medal of Arts with Ruby Dee.
Themes
civil rightsAfrican American identitysocial satireartistic partnershipcultural heritage
Sources: britannica.com · anb.org · kennedy-center.org