Mahogany Cafe is a tribute to the many beautiful and talented yet most times
underworked and very underappreciated black actresses in Hollywood. Some of
these women are very well known yet most are not recognizable to mainstream
audiences. Actresses range from Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Sanaa Lathan,
Tonea Stewart, Nicole Ari Parker, CCH Pounder, Loretta Devine, Kent King,
Maya Rudolph, Marsha Thomason, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Kasi Lemmons, Judy Pace, Eartha Kitt,
Anna Deavere Smith, Ruby Dee, Angelle Brooks, Whoopi Goldberg, Mari Morrow,
Donzaleigh Abernathy, Irma P. Hall, S. Epatha Merkerson, Diana Ross, Paula Patton, Thandie
Newton, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Vanessa L. Williams,
Charlayne Woodard, Meagan Good, Aisha Tyler, Tamara Tunie, Adilah Barnes and
Kellita Smith to Nona Gaye, Tatyana Ali, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall,
Tina Andrews, Naomie Harris, Joy Bryant, Phylicia Rashad, Jada Pinkett Smith,
Rashida Jones, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Robinne Lee, Queen Latifah,
Kerry Washington, Beyonce Knowles, Diahann Carroll, Nia Long, Tyra Banks,
Vivica A. Fox, Vonetta McGee, Penny Johnson Jerald, Zoe Saldana, Samaria Graham,
Tonya Lee Williams, Tangi Miller, Michelle Hurd, Holly Robinson Peete, Eve,
Rosario Dawson, Jurnee Smollett, Alexia Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, Regina King and Audra McDonald.
Also included are late actresses Nell Carter, Lynne Thigpen, Dorothy Dandridge,
Hattie McDaniel, Beah Richards, Fredi Washington, Rosalind Cash, Nina Mae
McKinney, Gloria Foster and Tamara Dobson.
Many of the actresses listed have won various awards including Academy Awards,
Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Tony Awards and NAACP Image Awards.
Some have established their careers in television, some in film, some in
television and film and quite a number have performed on Broadway, television
and film. One actress is a former Miss America. Another actress is a former
Miss USA. They've starred in night-time and daytime television, appeared in
numerous telefilms for network and cable tv, guest starred in numerous
television shows, appeared in a wide range of feature films from small
independent films to blockbuster commercial films and appeared on Broadway,
Off Broadway and regional theater.
The only place you can find information on the majority of the actresses
is located at the Internet Movie Database, which
is by the way one of the best sites for information about your favorite actors
and actresses in tv and film.
For an excellent article on Hollywood's underappreciation of black actresses,
check out Invisible Women by Stephanie Zacharek at Salon.com.
Just click on the links below to read about some amazing actresses.
Check out the new book "Get Your Own Damn Beer,
I’m Watching the Game!: A Woman’s Guide To
Loving Pro Football" by actress
Holly Robinson Peete with Daniel Paisner
Check out Robyn McGee's book
"Hungry for More: A Keeping-it-Real
Guide for Black Women on
Weight and Body Image"
