Imitated, Never Duplicated: Top 15 Black Divas From Back in the Day
While these 15 sistas from back in the day may be imitated... they will NEVER be duplicated. Let's take a trip down memory lane...
15. Grace Jones
Before she was Strangé in "Boomerang", Grace Jones graced the stage in the 70s and 80s as a singer and supermodel in outlandish outfits -- making her an instant star.
14. Cicely Tyson
"We have to support our own films," Cicely Tyson once said. "If we don't, how can we expect others to support them?" #RealTalk
13. Irene Cara
Man, oh man! What would the 80s have been without "Fame?" Along with playing Coco Hernandez in the movie, Irene Cara also co-wrote "Flashdance... What a Feeling." Yep!
12. Diahann Carroll
From "Porgy and Bess," to playing Whitley's uppity mom on "A Different World," Diahann Carroll's work and classy style spans six decades.
11. Eartha Kitt
There will never be another Catwoman like Eartha, PERIOD.
10. Bern Nadette Stanis
...aka Thelma from "Good Times." And she still looks as great today as she did back in the 70s. #BlackDontCrack
9. Tamara Dobson
Cleopatra Jones didn't play, y'all!
8. Beverly Johnson
We gotta #BowDown to Beverly Jones. Sshe ripped the runway, becoming the first black model to appear on the covers of American "Vogue" AND "Elle" in France.
7. Ruby Dee
Ossie Davis was one lucky man when he nabbed Ruby Dee -- actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist and activist. She epitomized "class" while doing it all.
6. Diana Ross
Those eyelashes. That style. That voice. THE Diana Ross. THE original Diva.
5. Lena Horne
...beauty was her name. From her face to her voice, Lena Horne knew how to bring a brotha to his knees!
4. Josephine Baker
Hell, NO ONE will ever rock a banana skirt quite like Josephine Baker.
3. Jayne Kennedy
File Jayne Kennedy under -- "Gone With the Wind Fabulous." She was the first black woman crowned Miss Ohio USA in 1970 & became a Miss USA Universe finalist.
2. Dorothy Dandridge
During the Marilyn Monroe era, Dorothy Dandridge stepped on the scene and stole the show -- becoming the first sista nominated as Best Actress at the Academy Awards.
1. Pam Grier
And finally, two words sum up our #1 -- #TheBaddest! There will never be another Pam Grier aka Foxy Brown!
We salute these 15 icons and all the ladies working their black girl magic.
Sooo... did we leave anyone off the list? Who would you add?
