Happy 80th Birthday Diahann Carroll!

Today is the 80th birthday of trailblazing singer and iconic Broadway and television actress Diahann Carroll, who was born on this date in New York City in 1935.

She appeared in Carmen Jones (1954) and Porgy and Bess (1959) two of the first major studio films to feature predominately African-American casts. 


As the star of Julia, in 1968 she became the first Black woman to star in a network television series in a non-stereotypical role.  She played Dominique Deveraux on Dynasty and Marion Gilbert on A Different World.

She has been nominated for numerous awards in her career that has spanned six decades including a groundbreaking Tony Award win in 1962 , a 1968 Golden Globe win for Julia and a 1974 Best Actress Academy Award nomination for Claudine. 

In 2011 she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.

I have much love for Ms. Carroll as one of my style role models, a timeless beauty and a trailblazing actress.

Happy milestone birthday!