Hazel Scott
American pianist and singer (1920–1981) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Trinidadian jazz and classical pianist and singer. She was an outspoken critic of racial discrimination and segregation. She used her influence to improve the representation of Black Americans in film.[1]
Hazel Dorothy Scott | |
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Born | (1920-06-11)June 11, 1920 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago |
Died | October 2, 1981(1981-10-02) (aged 61) New York City, U.S. |
Known for | The first black American to host her own TV show, The Hazel Scott Show |
Born in Port of Spain, Scott moved to New York City with her mother at the age of four. Scott was a child musical prodigy, receiving scholarships to study at the Juilliard School when she was eight. In her teens, she performed at Café Society while still at school.[2] She also performed on the radio.
She was active as a jazz singer throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In 1950, she became the first black American to host her own TV show, The Hazel Scott Show.[3] Her career in the United States faltered after she testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1950 during the era of McCarthyism. Scott subsequently moved to Paris in 1957 and began performing in Europe, not returning to the United States until 1967.