Ruth Reese facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Reese
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1959
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| Born | 10 March 1921 |
| Died | 25 October 1990 (aged 69) Oslo, Norway
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| Nationality | American, Norwegian |
| Occupation | singer, writer, civil rights activist |
Ruth Reese (born March 10, 1921 – died October 25, 1990) was an amazing singer, writer, and activist. She was an African American woman who later became a Norwegian citizen. Ruth was one of the first important black singers in Norway. She worked hard to fight against racism around the world. For many years, she helped people in Norway learn about African American history and music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Ruth Reese was born on March 10, 1921, in Hayneville, Alabama. Her parents were Sarah and William Reese. When she was a child, her family moved to Chicago. There, Ruth went to school and sang in her church choir.
Ruth loved music, but her family didn't have much money for lessons. She worked after school doing housework to pay for her music classes. After finishing high school, Ruth went to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She earned a special degree in music there.
Ruth's Career as a Performer
After college, Ruth first taught physical training and led a choir. Later, she became a substitute teacher. In the 1940s, Ruth performed a lot in the Chicago area. She entered music contests, won awards, and got great reviews for her singing.
In 1949, she performed in an opera called Ouanga. She played the role of Mougali. Her performance was so good that she won a scholarship! This helped her move to New York City to keep training her voice. She studied with famous teachers like Léon Rothier and Lawrence Brown.
Singing in Europe
Ruth had her first big concert in 1952. After that, she moved to England to study more music. Her first European concert was in Paris in 1953. Ruth was trained in classical music, but she became famous for singing Spirituals, Gospel music, and the Blues. These types of music have deep roots in African American traditions.
Ruth toured all over Europe, performing on stage and on the radio. She visited countries like France, Italy, and many places in Scandinavia. She first came to Norway in 1956. People noticed her because of her skin color. She was often called a negersangerinne, which means "negro songstress" at the time.
Facing Challenges in Norway
Back then, many people in Norway thought everyone was white. They didn't really understand their own minority groups. Ruth found similar problems in Norway to what she had seen in the United States. For example, she was often not allowed to stay in hotels because she was black.
But Ruth kept going! She became well-known and loved in Norway. In 1960, she decided to live in Oslo, Norway, permanently. Two years later, she married Paul Shetelig, who owned a bookstore.
Ruth's Fight Against Racism
Ruth started writing about important issues like racism in newspapers. In 1959, she wrote an article called Vår hud er sort (Our Skin is Black). In it, she talked about how people in Norway didn't seem to care about racist rules in places like the United States or South Africa. She pointed out that people were still buying things like fruits and wines from South Africa, even though that country had unfair laws against black people.
Ruth's writing helped people in Norway start talking about race for the first time. The University held talks about "Racism and Democracy." In 1960, a big workers' union suggested that people stop buying goods from South Africa.
Educating Through Music and Talks
Ruth was very active in raising awareness. She gave a lecture called De amerikanske negrenes musikkhistorie gjennom 360 år (The American Negro's Music History Through 360 Years) all over the country. In her talks, she explained the difference between Spirituals and classical music. She believed that Spirituals needed to be sung by people who truly felt the deep pain and sadness that created the songs.
In 1963, Ruth showed her support for President John F. Kennedy's efforts to fight for civil rights. She collected signatures on a petition and led a march to the American ambassador's home in Oslo. This was to show support for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom happening in the US.
Later Works and Legacy
Besides her activism, Ruth kept performing and was very popular in Norway. She was one of the first black artists to become famous there. She greatly helped spread African American music in the country.
In 1972, a collection of her writings was published in Norwegian, called Lang svart vei (Long Black Road). In 1979, she released a music album named Motherless Child. In 1985, she wrote her own life story, Min vei (My Way). In this book, she said that her activism had affected her singing career. But she didn't regret speaking up for those who couldn't "express their despair."
In 1990, Ruth made a short film called Pride of Black Dreams. It showed a brief history of African Americans through song and dance. This film was shown in many schools and on NRK Television.
Death and Lasting Impact
Ruth Reese passed away on October 25, 1990. She was giving a speech against racism to a group called SOS Rasisme in Oslo. The event was held to honor her.
Ruth's student, Kristin Asbjørnsen, received Ruth's personal archives. Kristin has made recordings to honor her teacher. In 2013, Kristin shared that it took her many years to understand all the messages in Ruth's notes and old recordings. Only then did she feel ready to create music inspired by Ruth's ideas.
Ruth also left 14 photo albums and scrapbooks, along with her writings that were not yet published. These were given to The MiRA Resource Center for Black, Immigrant and Refugee Women. The MiRA Center later gave the photo albums and scrapbooks to the Oslo city archive, called Byarkivet.
