Fredi Washington

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Passing by Nella Larsen

Washington dealt with similar issues to the characters in Nella Larsen’s “Passing” in regards to identity and intersectionality, but differ greatly in the ways that they approach and handle these issues. Irene passes briefly, but it is Clare who crosses the color barrier and interact amongst white people. She does so fluidly and at the expense of those around her.

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Passing by Nella Larsen (1929)

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The trouble with Clare was, not only that she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but that she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well

Irene (Larsen 51)

In the novel Irene mentions of Clare

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Washington’s ability to relinquish being black and to display whiteness is not something that she aimed to do outside of the roles she portrayed on screen. She was a proud African American women who was connected the her culture, even advocating for those in the black community.

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[thefrediwashington]

Early Life

December 23rd, 1903, Fredricka Carolyn Washington, but known as Fredi to all was born. She was the eldest of four children, (two brothers and a sister) and at unfortunately at the young age of 11 , tragedy struck her family and she lost her mother. Immediately she took on the motherly role and took care of her younger siblings. Eventually her father remarried, and soon Fredi and her sister were sent to attend Saint Elizabeth’s Convent in Cornwell Heights, Pennsylvania. Eventually she drifted away from a conservative, protected environment in her teens when she moved to live with her Aunt and Grandmother in NYC , where she grew an interest for the arts, specifically acting.  

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She started training  and at the Egri School of Dramatic Writing and the Christophe School of languages and as young as sixteen was performing with the Happy Honeysuckles, an cabaret act employed by the famous Josephine Baker. After her stint in the cabaret ended, Fredi found herself in several menial positions, and soon found herself stumbling across an audition to be a dancer in all black musical, Shuffle Along. Dusting off her old dancing skills, she audition and was selected to be apart of the chorus in the 1921 production. Some time after Washington found herself, in another opportunity.

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While working as a dancer at a club in NYC called Alabam’ she was discovered by a notable theatrical manager and producer by the name of Lee Shubert. He was thoroughly impressed he pushed for her to audition for an upcoming play called Black Boy. The play opened in 1926, however this path to stardom seemed to cut short for Washington for critics of the play gave mix reviews and only after a few weeks the production was shut down. However, in its last weeks, audiences showed up to see Washington herself for word spread of an light-skinned black woman who with once at the naked eye, ethnicity was ambiguous. Such questioning of Washington led to gates opening for her as an actress to not only the stage but the silver screen.

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Black and Tan (1929)

Clip of Fredi Washington dancing with Duke Ellington, highlighting her dance background as well before Acting.

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Imitation of Life (1934)

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Biography

Fredi Washington (December 23, 1903 – June 28, 1994) was a civil rights activist and actress for film and stage of European and African descent. She appeared in several films during the 1920s and 30s.

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As an activist, Washington wanted to stand up for what she believed in and make change. In her years as an actress, Washington was rejected to play the roles she desired. Instead they wanted her to play the roles of White women. Washington stood up for herself plenty of times and decided to do something about Hollywood’s treatment on Black actors and actresses and take control of her own destiny as well as trying to fix others.

Due to this, her career did not go as far as she wished because she was not landing black girl roles and she did not settle to play a White woman either. She stood her ground, stayed true to herself, and began the Negro Actors Guild, which helped others to make sure they would not have to go through the same experience as she did. The organization was built to ensure young Black actors and actresses can land the jobs they are looking for.

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Maria Stewart

Washington’s fight and her dedication on making things better for her community is like a woman named Maria Stewart in Black Feminist Thought. In Black Feminist Thought, Stewart would fight for Black women and tried to make this place a better place for them. For instance, she helped them fight against oppression, challenged Black women and mothers to educate on everything especially politics, and was the voice to allow women to see their full potential. She fought for Black women to have strength and to be strong against White people because they felt as if they had control. Stewart disagreed and wanted the young Black women to know that as well.

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Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins

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It is useless for us any longer to sit with our hands folded, approaching the whites; for that will never elevate us,” “Possess the spirit of independence. . . . Possess the spirit of men, bold and enterprising, fearless and undaunted”

Martha Stewart