Stars for freedom
Subtitle: Hollywood, Black celebrities, and the civil rights movement
By: Emilie Raymond
Series: A Capell family book; Capell family book
Publisher: University of Washington Press
Published: 2015
Language: eng
Number of pages: 312
ISBN-13: 9780295994802
Subjects: Politics and culture; African American entertainers; Race relations; Civil rights; African American political activists; African Americans; Political activity; History
Description: From Oprah Winfrey to Angelina Jolie, George Clooney to Leonardo DiCaprio, Americans have come to expect that Hollywood celebrities will be outspoken advocates for social and political causes. However, that wasn't always the case. As Emilie Raymond shows, during the civil rights movement the Stars for Freedom--a handful of celebrities both black and white--risked their careers by crusading for racial equality, and forged the role of celebrity in American political culture. Focusing on the "Leading Six" trailblazers--Harry Belafonte, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dick Gregory, and Sidney Poitier--Raymond reveals how they not only advanced the civil rights movement in front of the cameras, but also worked tirelessly behind the scenes, raising money for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legal defense, leading membership drives for the NAACP, and personally engaging with workaday activists to boost morale. Through meticulous research, engaging writing, and new interviews with key players, Raymond traces the careers of the Leading Six against the backdrop of the movement. Perhaps most revealing is the new light she sheds on Sammy Davis, Jr., exploring how his controversial public image allowed him to raise more money for the movement than any other celebrity. The result is an entertaining and informative book that will appeal to film buffs and civil rights historians alike, as well as to anyone interested in the rise of celebrity power in American society.
Notes: "A V Ethel Willis White book."

Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Cleaning up Catfish Row: Black celebrity and the making of Porgy and Bess; title: Sammy Davis, Jr.: daring, deferential, and "money"; title: Harry Belafonte and the northern liberal network; title: The arts group and the march on Washington; title: Dick Gregory and celebrity grassroots activism; title: Stars for Selma; title: Celebrities and Black power; title: Epilogue.