Hazel Scott

Biography

Hazel Dorothy Scott was a Trinidad-born jazz and classical pianist, singer, actress, television pioneer, and civil rights advocate. Born on June 11, 1920, in Port of Spain, Trinidad, she moved to Harlem, New York, as a child and became a celebrated prodigy, studying piano at Juilliard at an unusually young age. Known for her dazzling ability to “swing the classics,” Scott blended classical technique with jazz improvisation and rose to fame at New York’s Café Society. In Hollywood, Scott refused degrading roles and insisted on appearing as herself, using her public image to challenge racist portrayals of Black women. She also refused to perform before segregated audiences and used contract clauses to force venues toward integration. In 1950, she made television history as the first African American to host her own TV show, The Hazel Scott Show. Her career was damaged by Red Scare blacklisting after she challenged accusations before HUAC. Scott later lived and performed in Paris before returning to the United States. She died in Manhattan on October 2, 1981. Her legacy endures as a pioneering artist who fused virtuosity, representation, and activism.

Filmografi

The Night Affair1958 · Valentine HorseI Dood It1943 · HerselfScandalize My Name: Stories from the Blacklist1998 · Self (archive footage)Rhapsody in Blue1945 · Hazel ScottThe Disappearance of Miss Scott2025 · Self (archival footage)Broadway Rhythm1944 · Herself - Hazel ScottA Bullet in the Gun Barrel1958 · Self / Singer of the nightclubThe Heat's On1943 · HerselfTrial Run1969 · HerselfSomething to Shout About1943 · Hazel Scott