Cy Grant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Cyril Ewart Lionel Grant 8 November 1919 |
| Died | 13 February 2010 (aged 90) London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, musician, writer, poet |
| Years active | 1951–1994 |
| Style | Calypso music, folk music, steelpan music |
| Spouse |
Dorith Grant (m. 1956) |
| Children | 4 |
| Website | cygrant |
Cyril Ewart Lionel Grant (8 November 1919 – 13 February 2010) was a Guyanese actor, musician, writer, poet and World War II veteran. In the 1950s, he became the first black person to be featured regularly on television in Britain,[1][2][3] mostly due to his appearances on the BBC current affairs show Tonight.
Following service in the Royal Air Force during World War II, Grant worked as an actor and singer, before establishing the Drum Arts Centre in London in the 1970s.[4] In the 1980s, he was appointed director of Concord Multicultural Festivals.[5] A published poet and author of several books, including his 2007 memoir Blackness and the Dreaming Soul and other writing that reflected his belief in Taoism and an expansive world view,[6] Grant was made an Honorary Fellow of Roehampton University in 1997, and a member of the Scientific and Medical Network in 2001. In 2008, he was the founder and inspirator of an online archive to trace and commemorate Caribbean airmen of the Second World War.[7]
A father of four children, Grant lived with his wife, Dorith (1927–2018),[8] in Highgate, London.
- ^ "Cy Grant: Actor, Singer and Writer", The Times (London), 16 February 2010.
- ^ Gus John, "Cy Grant obituary", The Guardian (London), 18 February 2010.
- ^ Kurt Barling, "Cy Grant: Pioneer for black British actors" (obituary), The Independent (London), 27 February 2010.
- ^ "About Cy Grant". the Cy Grant Website. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ John Moat. "Didymus – Millennium Celebration". Resurgence. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Cobbinah 18 Aug 2016was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
caribbeanaircrewwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "DIDI'S STORY: In loving memory of Cy's wife Dorit Grant 08/07/1927 – 28/04/2018", Cy Grant website, 8 May 2018.