Etta Moten Barnett
| Etta Moten Barnett | |
|---|---|
Moten as Bess in Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, 1943
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| Born |
Etta Moten November 5, 1901 Weimar, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 2004 (aged 102) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, U.S. cultural representative in Africa |
| Spouse(s) | Curtis Brooks (ca. 1918-24; divorced; 3 daughters) Claude Barnett (1934–67; his death) |
Etta Moten Barnett (November 5, 1901 – January 2, 2004) was an American actress and contralto vocalist, who was identified with her signature role of "Bess" in Porgy and Bess. She created new roles for African-American women on stage and screen. After her performing career, Barnett was active in Chicago as a major philanthropist and civic activist, raising funds for and supporting cultural, social and church institutions.
Etta Moten was born in Weimar, Texas, the only child of a Methodist minister, Rev. Freeman F. Moten, and his wife Ida. She started singing as a child in the church choir.
She attended Western University, a historically black college (HBCU) in Quindaro, Kansas, where she studied music. She completed her education at the University of Kansas, where she earned a B.A. in voice and drama in 1931. Moten became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which provided a network throughout her career.
Moten moved to New York City, where she first performed as a soloist with the Eva Jessye Choir. Jessye was a groundbreaking collaborator with Virgil Thomson and George Gershwin. Moten was cast in the Broadway show Zombie.
On January 31, 1933, Moten became the first black star to perform at the White House. She performed in two musical films released in 1933: Flying Down to Rio (singing "The Carioca") and a more substantial role as a war widow in the Busby Berkeley musical Gold Diggers of 1933 (singing "My Forgotten Man" with Joan Blondell). Also in 1933 she stood in for Ginger Rogers by dubbing her singing in Professional Sweetheart.
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