At the White House screening for the new “42” movie, Michelle Obama had this to say about Rachel Robinson, wife of baseball legend Jackie Robinson: “She’s a woman of strength, of courage, conviction; a woman who paved the way for me, but she paved the way for millions of Americans all across this country.” I am attending a private screening of the movie tonight in Manhattan and I could not agree more! In this September 23, 1947 photo, Mrs. Robinson is with her husband in Brooklyn as he accepts keys from the legendary dancer, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, to a car he won just before a game against the San Francisco Giants. Photo: Bettman/Corbis.
Happy 86th Birthday to absolutely magisterial Sidney Poitier! In this 1965 photo, Mr. Poitier is on the set of “The Slender Thread,” a 1966 film he did with Anne Bancroft (Sydney Pollack’s directorial debut - and Quincy Jones did the music!) Photo: Cat’s Collection/Corbis.
Nina Simone in the driver’s seat. She was born on this day in 1933.
Nina Simone in the driver’s seat.
