Let me tell you about Diahann Carroll, a woman who made waves in the entertainment industry during the '80s. When she got the call to join the cast of Dynasty, she set one condition: "I didn't want to be on the show unless I could be bitchy," Diahann said with a laugh. "The first Black bitch on television!" she proudly declared. That’s the kind of bold, unapologetic spirit she brought to the screen.
Diahann’s journey was filled with many firsts that left an indelible mark on history. Raised in Harlem, New York, she became the first African American woman to win a Tony Award. And on Julia, she starred as the first Black professional woman at the center of a TV series. In a 2017 interview with Closer, Diahann reflected on her groundbreaking career: "It took a while for me to understand how important what I did was. I am very proud of it." Her work wasn't just entertainment—it was representation, paving the way for future generations.
A Woman of Determination and Grace
Growing up, Diahann didn't come from wealth, but she had something far more valuable: a mother who believed in her. From an early age, Diahann's mom instilled in her a sense of self-worth. "My mom said, 'You are special. If you work a bit, you could be president,'" Diahann recalled. Her mother encouraged her to take voice and piano lessons as a child, recognizing the potential within her. "I knew what my mom was doing: getting me out of the neighborhood," Diahann explained.
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As a teenager, Diahann's natural beauty and talent caught the attention of the modeling world. But her big break came in 1954 when she won a talent competition on the TV show Chance of a Lifetime. "It was really a fairy tale—and also a shock!" she said of her six-decade career that spanned television, film, nightclubs, and Broadway. In 1962, Diahann won a Tony Award for her role in the musical No Strings. A few years later, she starred on TV's Julia. As author Kwakiutl Dreher, who wrote Dancing on the White Page: Black Women Entertainers Writing Autobiography, noted, Diahann portrayed a nurse raising her son alone and succeeding at it. "She said the world needed to see this," Dreher told Closer.
Personal Challenges Amidst Success
Like many high-profile women, Diahann faced challenges in her personal life. She was married four times and experienced the loss of one husband in a tragic car accident. Her relationships with actors Sidney Poitier and broadcaster David Frost were well-documented, but she admitted, "I think I could have been a good wife at some point, but obviously I didn’t need that as much as I need my work." Diahann's daughter, Suzanne, often felt the absence of her mother due to her demanding career, yet she remained proud of the financial security she provided for her only child. Becoming a grandmother of two gave her what she called a "second chance" at family life. "It’s made me more religious than ever," she said. "Being in their presence for a couple of days, I feel as if I’ve been lifted."
Legacy of a Star
When Diahann passed away in 2019 at the age of 83, she left behind a legacy of resilience and grace. "Diahann Carroll was a star in the old-school way," says Dreher. "Despite everything she went through, she always handled herself with dignity and poise. She upheld her legacy." Diahann wasn't just an actress; she was a trailblazer who broke barriers and inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps.
