Tracee Ellis Ross Pledges to Lift Up Black Female Voices with PushBlack Partnership

Tracee Ellis Ross took to Instagram this weekend to share her new partnership with PushBlack.

Posting a photo of two-time Tony-nominated actress, Josephine Premice, Ross revealed, “I’m excited to be partnering with @wearepushblack to share stories of Black female excellence through the years! Above is the dazzling Josephine Premice, whom I discovered through my friend, the extraordinary writer and glorious human, Susan Fales-Hill (her daughter).”

Ross continued, “A triple threat with a career on the stage, TV & film, Ms. Premice was at once dressed by Givenchy, sculpted by Alexander Calder and was one of the reigning queens of Manhattan society (unheard of for a Black woman at that time)—yet rejected by casting agents time and time again because of her dark skin.”

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I’m excited to be partnering with @wearepushblack to share stories of Black female excellence through the years! Above is the dazzling Josephine Premice, whom I discovered through my friend, the extraordinary writer and glorious human, Susan Fales-Hill (her daughter). A triple threat with a career on the stage, TV & film, Ms. Premice was at once dressed by Givenchy, sculpted by Alexander Calder and was one of the reigning queens of Manhattan society (unheard of for a Black woman at that time)—yet rejected by casting agents time and time again because of her dark skin. Her story is just like many Black actresses of her day: supremely talented, multifaceted and complex, but either pigeonholed into maid roles or just plain overlooked by mainstream Hollywood. So let’s uplift her! To learn more about this incredible woman and her many accomplishments, go to my Story. And follow @wearepushblack for more daily Black history stories!

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The Black-Ish star explained, “Her story is just like many Black actresses of her day: supremely talented, multifaceted and complex, but either pigeonholed into maid roles or just plain overlooked by mainstream Hollywood. So let’s uplift her! To learn more about this incredible woman and her many accomplishments, go to my Story. And follow @wearepushblack for more daily Black history stories!”

The PushBlack Instagram account also celebrated Premice’s achievements. “There was nothing about Josephine Premice that could be put into a box—although the world tried,” the caption explained. “The two-time Tony-nominated actress performed in many all-Black casted productions like 1969’s Black Electra and A Hand On The Gate, an evening of Black Poetry, defying society’s expectations of a Black woman with every performance.”

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There was nothing about Josephine Premice that could be put into a box–although the world tried. The two-time Tony-nominated actress performed in many all-Black casted productions like 1969's Black Electra and A Hand On The Gate, an evening of Black Poetry, defying society's expectations of a Black woman with every performance. A true renaissance woman, after decades performing across Broadway productions, Premice made her way into Black living rooms on shows like A Different World, The Jeffersons, and The Cosby Show. Josephine Premice is ancestral proof that even when the white of the world tries to obscure our shine, we never deflate but instead stand tall in our individuality and excel. ?✊? #PushBlack #TodayInBlackHistory #HappyBirthdayJosephinePremice –––– PushBlack is a Black-led nonprofit dedicated to raising up Black voices. And as a nonprofit, PushBlack relies on small donations from readers like you. Please consider donating! Click the link in our bio to subscribe to a small monthly donation or Cash App us ✅ $PushBlackNow ✊?

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