First Black Woman To Star In Her Own TV Show, Diahann Carroll Has Passed Away At 84!

I am saddened to announce that a pioneer, actress, and role model to many,  Diahann Carroll, the first black woman ever to star in their own TV show and the first black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress, has passed away at the age 84.  Carroll fought a public battle with breast cancer and eventually when strength would allow, became a willing advocate for early detection.

Only in the last few years did my own children become aware of an actress and television mother that I had admired for many years. I shared her   groundbreaking  TV show from the 60’s, “Julia” I also caught her classic movie “Claudine” with James Earl Jones on Bounce with them.  I personally LOVED her return to television as “Dominique Devereaux” on the wildly successful television series drama, “Dynasty.” She was the first and only African American woman to have a principal role on the show for it’s entire run.  We can never forget her portrayal of Whitley Gilbert’s rich mother on “A Different World” and making a Big Screen resurgence by playing the wife of the singing group’s manager in “The Five Heartbeats.”

A strong black woman and the made us all believe in “Black Hollywood” and there really was a place for us down through the years as she continued to enjoy groundbreaking success in every era of her life!

Rest In Peace, Diahann Carroll