Etta Moten Barnett

Etta Moten Barnett
Born(1901-11-05)November 5, 1901
Weimar, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 2, 2004(2004-01-02) (aged 102)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, singer, U.S. cultural representative in Africa
Years active1929–1952
Spouses
  • Curtis Brooks
    (m. c. 1918; div. 1924)
​
​
(m. 1934; died 1967)​
Children3

Etta Moten Barnett (November 5, 1901 – January 2, 2004) was an American actress and contralto vocalist, who was identified with her signature role of "Bess" in Porgy and Bess.[1] She created new roles for African-American women on stage and screen. After her performing career, Barnett was active in Chicago as a major philanthropist and civic activist, raising funds for and supporting cultural, social and church institutions.[2] She also hosted a radio program in Chicago and represented the United States in several official delegations to nations in Africa.[3][4]

  1. ^ John Troesser (February 1, 2005). "Ten Things You Should Know about Etta Moten Barnett". Texas Escapes. Retrieved January 22, 2008.
  2. ^ Hine Clark, Darlene (1997). Facts on File Encyclopedia of Black Women in America Music. New York, New York: Facts on File Books. pp. 63–65. ISBN 0-8160-3424-9.
  3. ^ "Etta Moten Barnett". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Cengage/via- Encyclopedia.com{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. ^ "Etta Moten Barnett, 102". Chicago Tribune. January 4, 2004. Retrieved February 25, 2022.