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Ruby Berkley Goodwin

December 14, 2023

Ruby Berkley Goodwin (October 17, 1903 – May 31, 1961) was an American writer and actress.

Ruby Berkley Goodwin
Ruby Berkley Goodwin, from a 1935 publication
BornOctober 17, 1903
Du Quoin, Illinois, US
DiedMay 31, 1961
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation(s)Writer, actress
Known forIt's Good to Be Black (1953)

Early life edit

Ruby Berkley was born in Du Quoin, Illinois,[1] the daughter of Braxton Berkley and Sophia Jane Holmes Berkley. Her father was a coal miner and union organizer.[2] The family moved to California when Ruby was a teenager. She trained as a teacher at San Diego State Teachers' College. Later she attended Fullerton Junior College.[3] In 1949, she earned a bachelor's degree studying "world peace and understanding" from San Gabriel College.[4][5]

Her younger brother Thomas Lucius Berkley (1915–2001) became a noted attorney and newspaper publisher in Oakland, California.[6][7]

Career edit

Berkley taught in El Centro, California as a young woman. She was personal secretary and publicist to actress Hattie McDaniel from 1936 to 1951.[8] She is said to have helped McDaniel write her 1940 Oscars acceptance speech.[9] She worked for Ethel Waters in a similar capacity. With her syndicated column, "Hollywood in Bronze",[4] she was "the first accredited Black Hollywood correspondent".[2]

In the 1940s she began acting on stage, in Los Angeles productions including The Little Foxes, Nine Pine Street, Anna Lucasta, The Member of the Wedding,[10] Winesburg, Ohio,[5] and The Male Animal. On film, she had roles in The View from Pompey's Head (1955), Strange Intruder (1956), The Alligator People (1959), High Time (1960), and Wild in the Country (1961).[4] On television, she appeared in episodes of Cavalcade of America (1955, 1956), My Little Margie (1955), Star Stage (1956), Chevron Hall of Stars (1956), The Fireside Theatre (1956), General Electric Theater (1956), The Ford Television Theatre (1956, 1957), The Loretta Young Show (1957), Wagon Train (1957), The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1958), The Texan (1958), and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1959).

Goodwin won a poetry award in 1935 at the Los Angeles Festival of Arts.[11] She wrote short sketches to accompany William Grant Still's Twelve Negro Spirituals (1937). Her poetry was collected in From My Kitchen Window (1942)[12] and A Gold Star Mother Speaks (1944). She wrote a musical, American Rhapsody (1942), a series of radio scripts,[4] a novel,[13] and a collection of autobiographical essays, It's Good to Be Black (1953).[14] She was the first Black author to win a gold medal from the Commonwealth Club of California.[15] Hugh H. Smythe reviewed It's Good to Be Black in The Crisis harshly, concluding that it "makes no real contribution towards improving relations between the races".[16] More recent assessments find the book to be a valuable record of black life in Southern Illinois mining country.[1][17]

Personal life edit

Ruby Berkley married mechanic Lee Goodwin in 1924. They had five children together.[5] She was named California's Mother of the Year in 1955.[18][19] She died in Los Angeles in 1961, aged 57 years, from breast cancer.[4][20] One of her sons, Robert Lee Goodwin, built a career in Hollywood as a screenwriter.[20][21]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Meacham, Matt (July 2, 2020). "Reflections on Dialogue, Memory, and Race in Downstate Illinois". IL Humanities. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  2. ^ a b Meares, Hadley (2021-02-11). "Black History Month Spotlight: Ruby Berkley Goodwin, the First Black Hollywood Correspondent". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  3. ^ "Alumni Stories: Ruby Berkeley Goodwin". Fullerton College Centennial Celebration. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  4. ^ a b c d e Hallwas, John E. (2000). "Goodwin, Ruby Berkley (1903-1961), actress and author". American National Biography. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1600117. ISBN 978-0-19-860669-7. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  5. ^ a b c Coleman, Dorothy (1958-10-24). "Mother Looks Back With Proud Eyes". Mirror News. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Burress, Charles (2001-12-29). "Thomas Berkley -- advocate for Oakland blacks". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  7. ^ "Thomas L. Berkley, 86; Owner, Publisher of 2 Weeklies in Bay Area". Los Angeles Times. 2001-12-31. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  8. ^ Jackson, Carlton (1993-04-14). Hattie: The Life of Hattie McDaniel. Madison Books. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-4617-3337-9.
  9. ^ Brown, Stacy M. (2019-02-14). "Black History: Hattie McDaniel First African American Oscar Winner". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  10. ^ "People". Jet: 56. April 8, 1954.
  11. ^ "Honors". Opportunity. 13: 93, 94 (picture). March 1935.
  12. ^ Goodwin, Ruby Berkley (1942). From My Kitchen Window: The Poems of Ruby Berkley Goodwin. W. Malliet.
  13. ^ "Authoress Ruby Goodwin Completes 1st Novel". Jet: 49. July 28, 1955.
  14. ^ Goodwin, Ruby Berkley (2013-01-30). It's Good to Be Black. Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 978-0-8093-3122-2.
  15. ^ "Ruby Goodwin Wins Award for 'Best Book'". California Eagle. 1954-09-09. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Smythe, Hugh H. (June 1954). "Black Thralldom". The Crisis: 380–381.
  17. ^ Sickler, Linda (1996-09-15). "She Expected the Best of Herself and Her Family". Southern Illinoisan. p. 89. Retrieved 2021-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Negroes Named 'Mother of Year' in Calif., Mich". Jet: 5. April 21, 1955.
  19. ^ "Negro is California Mother of the Year". The Sacramento Bee. 1955-04-06. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ a b Sickler, Linda (1996-09-15). "Ruby Berkley Goodwin (cont)". Southern Illinoisan. p. 97. Retrieved 2021-02-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Robert Goodwin, Dramatist; An Early Black Writer for TV". The New York Times. 1983-02-18. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-02-18.

External links edit

December 14, 2023
ruby, berkley, goodwin, october, 1903, 1961, american, writer, actress, from, 1935, publicationbornoctober, 1903du, quoin, illinois, usdiedmay, 1961los, angeles, california, usoccupation, writer, actressknown, forit, good, black, 1953, contents, early, life, c. Ruby Berkley Goodwin October 17 1903 May 31 1961 was an American writer and actress Ruby Berkley GoodwinRuby Berkley Goodwin from a 1935 publicationBornOctober 17 1903Du Quoin Illinois USDiedMay 31 1961Los Angeles California USOccupation s Writer actressKnown forIt s Good to Be Black 1953 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editRuby Berkley was born in Du Quoin Illinois 1 the daughter of Braxton Berkley and Sophia Jane Holmes Berkley Her father was a coal miner and union organizer 2 The family moved to California when Ruby was a teenager She trained as a teacher at San Diego State Teachers College Later she attended Fullerton Junior College 3 In 1949 she earned a bachelor s degree studying world peace and understanding from San Gabriel College 4 5 Her younger brother Thomas Lucius Berkley 1915 2001 became a noted attorney and newspaper publisher in Oakland California 6 7 Career editBerkley taught in El Centro California as a young woman She was personal secretary and publicist to actress Hattie McDaniel from 1936 to 1951 8 She is said to have helped McDaniel write her 1940 Oscars acceptance speech 9 She worked for Ethel Waters in a similar capacity With her syndicated column Hollywood in Bronze 4 she was the first accredited Black Hollywood correspondent 2 In the 1940s she began acting on stage in Los Angeles productions including The Little Foxes Nine Pine Street Anna Lucasta The Member of the Wedding 10 Winesburg Ohio 5 and The Male Animal On film she had roles in The View from Pompey s Head 1955 Strange Intruder 1956 The Alligator People 1959 High Time 1960 and Wild in the Country 1961 4 On television she appeared in episodes of Cavalcade of America 1955 1956 My Little Margie 1955 Star Stage 1956 Chevron Hall of Stars 1956 The Fireside Theatre 1956 General Electric Theater 1956 The Ford Television Theatre 1956 1957 The Loretta Young Show 1957 Wagon Train 1957 The Adventures of Jim Bowie 1958 The Texan 1958 and Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1959 Goodwin won a poetry award in 1935 at the Los Angeles Festival of Arts 11 She wrote short sketches to accompany William Grant Still s Twelve Negro Spirituals 1937 Her poetry was collected in From My Kitchen Window 1942 12 and A Gold Star Mother Speaks 1944 She wrote a musical American Rhapsody 1942 a series of radio scripts 4 a novel 13 and a collection of autobiographical essays It s Good to Be Black 1953 14 She was the first Black author to win a gold medal from the Commonwealth Club of California 15 Hugh H Smythe reviewed It s Good to Be Black in The Crisis harshly concluding that it makes no real contribution towards improving relations between the races 16 More recent assessments find the book to be a valuable record of black life in Southern Illinois mining country 1 17 Personal life editRuby Berkley married mechanic Lee Goodwin in 1924 They had five children together 5 She was named California s Mother of the Year in 1955 18 19 She died in Los Angeles in 1961 aged 57 years from breast cancer 4 20 One of her sons Robert Lee Goodwin built a career in Hollywood as a screenwriter 20 21 References edit a b Meacham Matt July 2 2020 Reflections on Dialogue Memory and Race in Downstate Illinois IL Humanities Retrieved 2021 02 17 a b Meares Hadley 2021 02 11 Black History Month Spotlight Ruby Berkley Goodwin the First Black Hollywood Correspondent Los Angeles Magazine Retrieved 2021 02 17 Alumni Stories Ruby Berkeley Goodwin Fullerton College Centennial Celebration Retrieved 2021 02 17 a b c d e Hallwas John E 2000 Goodwin Ruby Berkley 1903 1961 actress and author American National Biography doi 10 1093 anb 9780198606697 article 1600117 ISBN 978 0 19 860669 7 Retrieved 2021 02 17 a b c Coleman Dorothy 1958 10 24 Mother Looks Back With Proud Eyes Mirror News p 16 Retrieved 2021 02 18 via Newspapers com Burress Charles 2001 12 29 Thomas Berkley advocate for Oakland blacks SFGATE Retrieved 2021 02 18 Thomas L Berkley 86 Owner Publisher of 2 Weeklies in Bay Area Los Angeles Times 2001 12 31 Retrieved 2021 02 18 Jackson Carlton 1993 04 14 Hattie The Life of Hattie McDaniel Madison Books p 159 ISBN 978 1 4617 3337 9 Brown Stacy M 2019 02 14 Black History Hattie McDaniel First African American Oscar Winner Los Angeles Sentinel Retrieved 2021 02 17 People Jet 56 April 8 1954 Honors Opportunity 13 93 94 picture March 1935 Goodwin Ruby Berkley 1942 From My Kitchen Window The Poems of Ruby Berkley Goodwin W Malliet Authoress Ruby Goodwin Completes 1st Novel Jet 49 July 28 1955 Goodwin Ruby Berkley 2013 01 30 It s Good to Be Black Southern Illinois University Press ISBN 978 0 8093 3122 2 Ruby Goodwin Wins Award for Best Book California Eagle 1954 09 09 p 3 Retrieved 2021 02 18 via Newspapers com Smythe Hugh H June 1954 Black Thralldom The Crisis 380 381 Sickler Linda 1996 09 15 She Expected the Best of Herself and Her Family Southern Illinoisan p 89 Retrieved 2021 02 18 via Newspapers com Negroes Named Mother of Year in Calif Mich Jet 5 April 21 1955 Negro is California Mother of the Year The Sacramento Bee 1955 04 06 p 8 Retrieved 2021 02 18 via Newspapers com a b Sickler Linda 1996 09 15 Ruby Berkley Goodwin cont Southern Illinoisan p 97 Retrieved 2021 02 18 via Newspapers com Robert Goodwin Dramatist An Early Black Writer for TV The New York Times 1983 02 18 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2021 02 18 External links editRuby Berkley Goodwin at IMDb A 1955 portrait of Ruby Berkley Goodwin in the California State Library Same image is in the Detroit Public Library s Digital Collections A 1955 photograph taken at the Urban League Awards featuring Ruby Berkeley Goodwin receiving an award from actress Rosemary DeCamp at Getty ImagesPortal nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruby Berkley Goodwin amp oldid 1177467808, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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