Nina Mae McKinney: The Black Garbo by Stephen Bourne has just been published by BearManor Media (www.bearmanormedia.com). This is the first biography of one of Hollywood's most talented & charismatic stars. Stephen Bourne has published several biographies of African American divas, including Adelaide Hall, Elisabeth Welch & Ethel Waters.
Thanks. I had no idea that there was a book about Nina Mae McKinney. Need to pick it up and add to my library on film. Don't forget Fredi Washington. She was the orignal Black daughter in the first "Imitation of Life". She was very light skinned and her friends suggested that she passed for white to further her career. She declined and often played in "race" films of the time. She had to darken her skin because many people thought that she appeared too white on screen.
shareThe commercial region 1 DVD of "Hallelujah" (available from Netflix) includes two later short films by MGM's competitor, Warner Bros. entitled, "Pie, Pie Blackbird" (1932) and "The Black Network (1936).
Both shorts highlight a more mature Nina Mae who showed even more "star appeal" than in her feature debut at MGM. She was one photogenic and talented singer/dancer/actress!
E pluribus unum