Legendary stage and screen actress Ruby Dee (pictured), has died. Dee, along with her late husband Ossie Davis, was also a major force in the Civil Rights Movement. She was 91-years-old. According to reports, Dee died at home in New Rochelle, N.Y., Wednesday night. The family has yet to release a statement.
Dee was friends with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and received the Frederick Douglass Award in 1970 from the New York Urban League, according to CNN. Dee earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 2007 film “American Gangster.” She also won an Emmy and Grammy for other work. Dee’s role as a loving and spunky grandmother on “The Cosby Show” exposed her to a new generation fans.
Dee was an inspiration to a younger generations of stars. On Sunday, Broadway star Audra McDonald paid tribute to Dee when she accepted a Tony Award for best actress. McDonald won a best actress Tony for playing the same role Dee created on Broadway in 1959 and in the 1961 film version of “Raisin.”
Check back with NewsOne for more details on the death of Ruby Dee.
