Nina Mae McKinney

Nina Mae McKinney, an American actress of Black ethnicity, is remembered for her breakthrough role as the seductress "Chick" in the 1929 film Hallelujah, the first all-Black, all-sound musical. She was celebrated abroad for her talents as an actress, singer, and dancer, yet she has largely faded from public memory.

Born in Lancaster, South Carolina, McKinney possessed the looks, enthusiasm, and acting ability to achieve stardom. However, Hollywood was unwilling to promote an attractive Black woman as a glamorous sex symbol, a role reserved for white actresses. She and other Black women of her era found limited opportunities, often relegated to playing maids, "mammy" figures, or prostitutes. Her career never regained its initial momentum, and it wasn't until Lena Horne's rise in 1942 that a true Black glamour icon emerged. McKinney passed away in 1967 at the age of 54.