Jane White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jane White
Publicity Photo of Jane White
Born	(1922-10-30)October 30, 1922 New York City, U.S.
Died	July 24, 2011(2011-07-24) (aged 88) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Spouse(s)	Alfredo Viazzi ​ ​ (m. 1962; died 1987)​
Parent(s)	Walter Francis White (father)

Jane White (October 30, 1922 – July 24, 2011) was an amazing African-American actress. She was born in New York City, USA. Jane studied at Smith College and The New School.

In 1945, she first appeared on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York. Her first play was Strange Fruit. Later, she acted in many other plays. In 1959, she starred in the popular musical Once Upon a Mattress. She played Queen Aggravain alongside Carol Burnett. Jane White won an Obie Award in 1971 for her long and successful acting career.

Early Life & Family

Jane White was born to Walter Francis White and Gladys Leah Powell. Her father was a very important civil rights leader. He was the national secretary of the NAACP from 1931 to 1955. The NAACP works to ensure equal rights for all people.

Jane grew up in a fancy neighborhood in Harlem, New York, called Sugar Hill. Their home was known as "The White House of Harlem." This was because many famous and important people visited her parents. These guests included James Weldon Johnson, Paul Robeson, and George Gershwin. Jane had one brother, Walter Carl Darrow White.

Jane's Education

Jane White started attending Smith College in the early 1940s. When she first arrived, a white student in her dorm said she would leave if Jane stayed. This student refused to share a room with a Black woman. The college told the student she was free to leave, but Jane would remain. The student then decided to stay.

At Smith, Jane studied Sociology. She wanted to follow her father's work in social activism. But she loved the arts even more. She also studied classical singing and took dance and fencing classes. In 1943, she became the president of the student House of Representatives. This made her the first African American to hold a government position at Smith College.

Her Acting Career

Starting Out

Before acting full-time, Jane White worked as a proofreader. She also took acting classes at The New School in New York.

In 1945, Jane got her first big acting role. She played the main character, "Nonnie," in the Broadway play Strange Fruit. This play was based on a book about interracial love in the Southern United States. Paul Robeson, a friend of her family, suggested her for the part. The play received mixed reviews. However, Jane and the play got good attention from Eleanor Roosevelt. She was the First Lady at the time. Eleanor Roosevelt even wrote about Jane's performance in her newspaper column. She praised Jane for playing her part with "restraint and beauty."

In 1959, Jane White played the clever Queen Aggravain in Once Upon a Mattress. This was the play where Carol Burnett made her Broadway debut. In 1965, Jane and her husband moved to Italy for three years.

Later Roles

Jane White continued acting in plays, TV shows, and movies from the 1970s to the 2000s. She often performed in classic plays, especially those by William Shakespeare. She won an Obie Award in 1965-66 for her roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival. She played Volumnia in Coriolanus and the Princess of France in Love's Labour's Lost.

In the late 1970s, Jane and her husband opened a restaurant called Alfredo’s Settebello. Jane also performed there as a cabaret singer. She won another award in 1988-89 for her role in Blood Wedding. She also acted in plays by famous writers like Euripides and Henrik Ibsen. She even appeared in musicals like A Little Night Music and Follies.

On television, Jane appeared in soap operas like The Edge of Night. She was one of the first African-American actresses to have a contract role on a soap opera. In 1998, she played Lady Jones in the movie Beloved, based on Toni Morrison's book. From 1979-80, Jane performed her own one-woman show called Jane White, Who?. In this show, she shared stories about her life and sang songs. She continued to perform in cabaret shows even in 2006.

Personal Life

In 1962, Jane White married Alfredo Viazzi, a restaurant owner from New York. They moved to Italy in 1965 but returned to the U.S. a few years later. Alfredo passed away in 1987.

Jane White gave her personal papers to the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College in 1989. These papers mostly tell the story of her acting career. They also show her thoughts about her life and her family's history in civil rights. The collection includes many photos of her on stage and in her daily life.

Her Passing

Jane White passed away on July 24, 2011, in New York City. She was 88 years old.

Her Work

Film Roles

Stage Roles

Television Roles

Awards & Recognition

Jane White won the Obie Award in 1965-66 for her performances in the New York Shakespeare Festival. She was recognized for her roles in Love's Labor's Lost and Coriolanus. She also won the Los Angeles Critics Circle Award in 1988-89 for her role in Blood Wedding.