Pearl Bailey

1918-1990

Do any of yall remember Pearl Bailey? Man I used to love to watch her on television and in movies. She was sooo funny and could sing too!

See yall might not remember television back in the day when there weren't that many black people on it. I don't know how we knew when someone black was going to be on, but it would spread like wildfire. And believe me everybody would be in front of their televisions. Yes in front of them because there were no VCRs. oooh my I know yall think I'm old...But really it wasn't that long ago that VCRs came about...And now we have DVD recorders.

Time stops for no one I guess. Anyway, If you don't know anything about Pearl you should rent one of her movies or something. I think you'll enjoy her personality. A good one to get if you can find it is Hello Dolly. She won a Tony for her performance in that on Broadway. She was also in Porgy and Bess. She also had her only variety show: The Pearl Bailey Show, in 1970-71.

My great aunt God rest her soul claimed that she was friends with Pearl and they went to school together. Hmmmm I don't know, cuz Pearl was born in Virginia and my great aunt was in Maryland. Who knows maybe Pearl moved to Maryland at some point in her young life, cuz I know my aunt lived in Annapolis all her life.

Don't let me get to talking about that aunt. She was one sharp lady...dressed her behind off and was full of life.

Some other things you might not have known about her is she was Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations under the administrations of Presidents Ford, Reagan and George Bush.
Returned to school in 1978, and received a bachelorÂ’s degree in theology from Georgetown University at the age of sixty-seven, as well as an honorary doctorate degree from the school.

So no matter what you think about some of the movies you see her in....this woman was no dummy.