Unsung of the Screen: Fredi Washington (Post Three)

With her very fair skin and green eyes, Fredi was often given the opportunity to pass for white to gain more film roles, but turned all of them down. 

In 1935 she told the Chicago Defender:

"I have never tried to pass for white and never had any desire. I am proud of my race." Then she went on to say "In Imitation of Life I was showing how a girl might feel under the circumstances, but I am not showing how I felt."

Some years later she would also state:

"...Frankly, I do not ascribe to the stupid theory of white supremacy and try to hide the fact that I'm Negro for economic or any other reasons, if I do I would be agreeing to be a Negro makes me inferior and that I have swallowed that whole hog all of the propaganda dished out by our fascist-minded white citizens."