'Fredi' Washington: Savannah's Civil Rights Starlet

Fredi Washington

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​​Savannah has been home to many celebrities. Whether it be Academy Award winner Charles Coburn, Stacey Keach of Mike Hammer fame, Johnny Mercer, the Lady Chablis, or Paula Dean Savannah has never been without a dash of the famous. But Fredricka Washington (Fredi) was probably the celebrity known most for her groundbreaking ways. She was born in 1903 here in Savannah. She lived here until she was thirteen when her mother died. At that time she was sent to live with her grandmother in Pennsylvania.

At the age of 16 she went to New York where she was discovered by Josephine Baker. Baker hired Fredi for a cabaret show called the Happy Honeysuckles. Fredi was a talented entertainer and quickly created a dancing career. She danced with her partner Al Moiret throughout the world. Her film career did not start until she was in her thirties. In 1926, Washington was recommended for a co-starring role on the Broadway stage with Paul  Robeson in Black Boy. This was a big break in her acting career. In 1934 she appeared in the film ‘Imitation of Life’. She played the part of a black woman who passed for white. The film would earn an Academy Award Nomination for best picture. Time magazine would rank the film one of  "The 25 Most Important Films on Race". Because of her light colored skin many people thought she would actually want to ‘pass’ and was ashamed of her black heritage. In 1945 in response to a question on the subject she said:

"You see I'm a mighty proud gal, and I can't for the life of me find any valid reason why anyone should lie about their origin, or anything else for that matter. Frankly, I do not ascribe to the stupid theory of white supremacy and to try to hide the fact that I am a Negro for economic or any other reasons. If I do, I would be agreeing to be a Negro makes me inferior and that I have swallowed whole hog all of the propaganda dished out by our fascist-minded white citizens.”

Washington became a major civil rights worker and leader of the black community in the entertainment industry. Washington was among the founding members of the Negro Actor’s Guild in 1936. The organization was created to provide opportunities for African-American entertainers during a time when they struggled to find work. She also showcased the work of other black artists as the entertainment editor for “The People’s Voice,” an African-American publication in New York. The newspaper was founded by New York congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr., in 1942.

Because of her role in ‘Imitation of Life’ her sometimes bemused public continued to speculate about how she felt about her blackness. She told reporters in 1949 she identified as black "Because I'm honest, firstly, and secondly, you don't have to be white to be good. I've spent most of my life trying to prove to those who think otherwise ... I am a Negro and I am proud of it.”

Washington, ever the advocate, had an important dramatic role in a 1943 radio tribute to black women, Heroines in Bronze, produced by the National Urban League. She challenged the radio industry in an editorial for the black press in which she discussed how limited the opportunities in broadcasting were for black actors, actresses, and vocalists, saying that "radio seems to keep its doors sealed" against "colored artists." 

Washington was very much a part of the Harlem Renaissance scene. She dated Duke Ellington for a while. She had a short marriage with one of his band members, and was sister-in-law to Adam Clayton Powell Jr. She also appeared with Paul Robeson in several plays and movies. Washington was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1975. She died from pneumonia in 1994 at age 90, and was posthumously honored with a U.S. Postal Service stamp in 2008. Here in Savannah she was honored by SCAD’s Women of Vision Memorial.

In closing I leave you with her words:

I am an American citizen and by God, we all have inalienable rights and wherever those rights are tampered with, there is nothing left to do but fight...and I fight. How many people do you think there are in this country who do not have mixed blood? There's very few, if any. What makes us who we are, are our culture and experience. No matter how white I look, on the inside I feel black. There are many whites who are mixed blood, but still go by white. Why such a big deal if I go as Negro? Because people can't believe that I am proud to be a Negro and not white. To prove I don't buy white superiority, I chose to be a Negro

​Fredericka Washington was a Savannahian who graced the world with her talent and hunger for justice.

* The previous picture above was of Hedy Lamarr and not Fredi Washington. Thanks to the two readers Cat and Filmfan for alerting me to this in the comments.

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Fredi Washington with Paul Robeson