Dorothy Dandridge's Life in Photos

Dorothy Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922, in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother, actress Ruby Dandridge, left Dorothy's father while she was pregnant, so Dorothy never knew him.

Dorothy's mother, Ruby, was known for her work in television and radio. She raised Dorothy and her other daughter, Vivian, to be performers as well.

At a young age, Dorothy and Vivian (right) began performing as a singing act known as the Wonder Children.

Dorothy's family moved to Hollywood around 1930. The future star formed a singing group with Vivian and their friend, Etta Jones, called the Dandridge Sisters.

The Dandridge Sisters were a success. Soon, they became a fixture at clubs across the country and began opening for acts like Cab Calloway and Jimmie Lunceford (pictured).

Although the Dandridge Sisters were highly regarded in the nightclub scene, segregation was still prevalent during this time. The group notably performed at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem, where Black performers "were instructed not to mix with white patrons," per The New York Times.

It wasn't long before the singing group found themselves on the screen. In 1935, the trio began appearing in film roles as the Dandridge Sisters.

In 1940, Dandridge appeared in her first solo film role. The singer and actress landed the part of Helen Fielding in Four Shall Die.

After her solo debut, Dandridge's talents led her to a successful film career. In 1941 alone, she appeared in four films, including Lady from Louisiana and Sun Valley Serenade.

Dandridge and Nicholas welcomed a daughter, Harolyn Suzanne Nicholas, on September 2, 1943. She was born with severe brain trauma, which Dandridge attributed to a delay in her labor after Nicholas left her at home without car keys when she was nine months pregnant.

After a brief hiatus from performing, Dandridge embarked on a solo singing career and became a regular on the nightclub circuit, including at the Waldorf Astoria's Empire Room.

In 1951, Dandridge divorced Nicholas. After nine years of marriage, Nicholas's wandering eye reportedly led to the split, as well as him leaving Dandridge to care for their disabled daughter alone.

Dandridge's stardom took off internationally after she appeared in a sold-out residence with Desi Arnaz in 1951 at the Mocambo club in Los Angeles.

By 1953, Dandridge had established herself as a star. That year, the singer-actress took to the screen to star as herself in the musical comedy Remains to Be Seen.

Dandridge signed a three-year contract with 20th Century Fox for a starting salary of $60,000 per film in 1955.

Dandridge's iconic costume for her role in Carmen Jones featured a black off-the-shoulder top, a bright red wrap skirt, and gold hoop earrings.

In 1955, Dandridge became the first Black woman to be nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. She was nominated for her role in Carmen Jones. She lost to Grace Kelly for The Country Girl.