Dee, Ruby 1969

Ruby Dee (1924- ) is pictured with Julian Mayfield. The two helped write the movie, "Uptight," which was filmed in Cleveland, and starred Dee. Ruby Dee is a stage, screen and television actress. The Cleveland-born Dee was raised in Harlem by her father. She graduated from Hunter College. Among her notable acting roles, she starred in the movie, A Raisin in the Sun, in 1961, and was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her work in American Gangster (2007). Over the years, she appeared in productions in Cleveland at a number of venues, including the Hanna Theater, Karamu House, and Cleveland Playhouse, according to About.com. She has received three Emmys, a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004. She was married twice, the second time to actor Ossie Davis, until his death in 2005. Ruby Dee is also known for being an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement.