Main image credit: Creative Commons

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Ahead of what would have been Dandridge’s 97th birthday on November 9, Vogue looks back at the actress’s most memorable moments on and off the screen.

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As the first woman of color to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, Dorothy Dandridge became a powerful symbol of black womanhood.

When Dorothy Dandridge sashays onto the screen in Otto Preminger’s 1954 musical, Carmen Jones, the audience knows she’s a force to be reckoned with. Through it all, Carmen is outspoken and wilful, a modern woman with a daring wardrobe to match. The role earned Dandridge an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 1955, the first for a black actress, and cemented her reputation as a Hollywood siren. Carmen Jones marked her first major breakthrough, while another highlight came in 1959 with the musical Porgy and Bess, in which she co-starred with Sidney Poitier and received a Golden Globe nomination.

Continue reading the post 21 of Dorothy Dandridge’s best fashion moments on and off the screen  to view the looks, on Vogue.

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After her sudden death in 1965, reportedly from an embolism at the age of 42, Dandridge was consigned to Hollywood’s history books and her legacy was soon overshadowed by white contemporaries such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. However, actresses of color have continued to pay tribute to her trailblazing work...

Continue reading the post 21 of Dorothy Dandridge’s best fashion moments on and off the screen  to view the looks below, and more, on Vogue.

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Continue reading the post 21 of Dorothy Dandridge’s best fashion moments on and off the screen  to view the looks, on Vogue.