“When I was making a lot of movies, they didn't want the women to look too black. But black people objected to that policy, so then the industry did a reversal -- went all the way in the other direction. For the industry to limit itself to one look or another is unrealistic.” -B McNair.. watch this next “Lena Horne- JELOUS mother & her interracial marriage to further her career! + Her Hollywood REGRETS!” th-cam.com/video/MgbECO5WMgs/w-d-xo.html
Her parents may look like normal everyday Nubians, but that woman for certain is a throwback. Her ancestors were not all Nubians, and NO there are NOT light-skinned Nubians that are not mixed. She probably has some indigenous ancestors, maybe Cherokee or Navajo. Look at her cheek bones, and jawline. She could even have Latin ancestors as the Spanish were the original European invaders of the "New World."
KarineAlourde Barbara McNair was not WHITE and no Black American ever thought she was with two Black parents from Chicago. I find it more than a coincidence that Black immigrants take so much interest in BLACK AMERICAN and/or AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY that is not your own. Are you embarrassed by your own culture? Or is it that your culture is not MONETIZABLE, because no one has an interest in it. At any rate as Black Americans we have grown tired of the disrespect to our people, our culture and the COSPLAYING of our HISTORY! When we give you a very through accounting of your own people, culturally and traditionally don't cry foul, because it doesn't look that great. Nor does what you are engaged in here! I suggest you Monetize YOUR people's history. It's very sad they stayed STUCK in a COLONIZED PATHETIC MINDSET they raised most of you in. So cosplaying Black American Culture is the HUSTLE of Black Immigrants, especially Africans! None of you determines who's Black and who is white in the history of Black Americans. We are over 70 million people in this country that your parents immigrated to. Our history, culture, and achievements were already WRITTEN. We told and will tell our own stories and Barbra's story has been told more than once! We didn't need to wait on you to comb through it, we were either there or our history is passed down in the communities from centuries to decades!
I grew up in the 60s and 70s, and I remember her well. She was a very beautiful black woman. I never thought she was passing. I loved seeing her in some of my favorite tv shows. She added a touch of class and elegance.❤💙❤️
I grew up in the 50's 60's and 70's and yes, I never thought that she was passing. We knew that she was Black and we were Proud of Her because we saw Women that looked like us! Like Me! ❤❤
She was a very famous performer when I was very young, and I was completely unaware of any controversy regarding her heritage. I always saw her as a talented and beautiful black woman
My family knew Ms. McNair. She was a beautiful black woman who had a tragic life. My father played in the big bands and my brother’s and one of my nephews is classically train. Music and drugs run hand and hand. She went as Billie Holiday, Bird, Miles and so many talented singers and musicians. Yet we see this tragedy play over continuously. I remember them and pray they will all have found peace. My musician father always warned us to leave beer, wine or Reefer they are starter vices that lead into a black hole. God bless. Thank you pointed this great vocalist out.
There's always a first time taking drugs and its usually offered. I've always said that anyone who offers you drugs is not a friend. Celebrities, especially the newly-famous, are often targeted by drug dealers, since to introduce a drug to them and get them addicted is financially beneficial to the dealer. When I was around 13, I puffed a couple times on a cigarette and wondered what the appeal was. Same when I tasted rum and when I took a couple puffs on weed, both when I was around 20. I thank God that on first try they all tasted awful to me.
Barbara McNair and drugs???? I don't think so! I can't say what she did when she was young but I saw her in a hotel lobby in Chicago maybe a few years before she died. Very lovely, classy and obviously black lady who could've been anyone's mom, grandma. or church lady (lol)! When my friend and I told her we were fans, she invited us to join her for dinner. She was so nice and down to earth. Very well dressed and very intelligent. I hate these click bait culture vulture videos. She hardly died from drugs and she was no where near a Billie Holiday type. You're father as a musician should be the last person to spread stereotype fables.
I’m 62. I remember her on so many variety shows. She was fantastic. She and Leslie Uggams and Diahann Carroll sang similar type songs. They were all brilliant. ❤❤❤
Amara La Negra was accused of being a white woman in dark makeup. I saw a video of her licking her skin and rubbing it and saying "see, it doesn't come off". What they really meant was that they felt Amara was too beautiful too actually be black, smh.
They didn’t say that because they felt she was too pretty to be black. They felt because she spoke Spanish and was a dark skin Afro Latino she wore makeup. Ignorant but yes
IMDB her.. she was a goto actress in tv.. i think she was the last guest star on the old Mission Impossible! Not a workhorse actress but if they needed a glamorous black guest star they'd consider her.
She was a big deal in my childhood. I distinctly remember her, the singer Marilyn MaCoo and others like Vanetta McGee having a strong media presence during that time. I recall Barbara McNair being very proud of her heritage and doing great interviews in Ebony and Jet magazines. Cynda Williams reminded me of Barbara and could have probably done a great bio pic . Another great video!
I remember the very first time I saw Marilyn McCoo sing. I was in fifth grade. I was mesmerized by her. I didn’t know about Barbara when I was younger, but if I had, I would’ve loved her just as much. She was stunning and talented.🥰
@@claudiaimmerzeel5415 🙏🏻🥰💕 They should never be forgotten. The way I see it, they were the actual pioneers for rightful equality in this country. And I support and love them with my whole heart. 😍🙏🏻
@@Sandi-ke9mi Same here! I was mesmerized by Marilyn McCoo's beauty and talent the first time I saw her on TV. My mom said I could grow up to be as tall as her if I ate my greens! 😹 I did end up being that same height and I did eat my veggies, lol. It's so sweet to see Marilyn and her husband Billy are still together after over 50 years!
This is so ridiculous! I worked with Barbara back in the 80’s 100% Black. She was beautiful, talented and wonderful to work with. Her music director was my mentor Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. They operated with a level of class that not all Black artists were able to achieve when they made history. A sweet, kind lady. Miss her, Peace, Space
Thank you @wspaceman! Coleridge Taylor Perkinson? Say no more. Ms. McNair had to have it together to select him to be her Musical Director and a man of his caliber wouldn't waste his time otherwise. You are very blessed to have been mentored by him. I still listen regularly to "Christo Redentor". His choir arrangement on the Donald Byrd classic, is so meaningful and haunting. I was fortunate to have seen him conduct at the South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago a few years before his passing, may he rest in glory.
@@Laurelcanyonresident1982 Huh? McNair's history is well-documented. No one doubted her Black identity during her career's heyday. There have been many visibly mixed and white-passing Black Americans who've been famous: Adam Clayton Powell Jr? Thurgood Marshall? Muhammad Ali? Rosa Parks? Josephine Baker? Fredi Washington? Walter White? Denise Richards? Ellen Craft?
My uncle worked with her in the late 50's and early 60's. Barbra moved and catered to white men. My great uncle was Count Basie. He said Barbra had a rep along white me that she had (an singing talent that went beyond the mike) get it...She messed around alot with celebrity white men to get a head, She was beautiful and used her beauty. She did not mess around with black guys he said , cuz the white ones could help her. She had class but was known as a freak. Sje messed with DM , JD and host of others.
This is a new thing, mostly internet-driven, mostly from non Black peoples. There are no whites people who look Black. I really wish people would quit rewriting history like this.
She was such a beautiful and talented woman, anybody who believes that she was black passing is crazy. She was just a natural beauty and her skin color added to her beauty, she was one of my youthful fantasy girls. R.I.P.
Such an interesting story! These stories should really be on tv. You cover so many black actresses that are familiar but we don’t know enough about. Have you ever pitched any of these segments as a limited series? You really ought to.
You are absolutely right. Back then I was considered too light because I had interracial biological parents. I was pretty and talented but was raised by working class Black parents on Cleveland Ohio's back then pre gentrified and very Black segregated East side. I was denied roles in high school plays for being too light, TOTALLY RIDICULOUS! A few sympathetic white people tried to get me to pass for white so they could help me have a career. I basically cussed them out because I am emotionally and culturally a Black person period! The last straw was when a Black friend who had me assist him with the production of some Black community documentaries in Cincinnati asked the local TV show too let me replace him as the show's executive producer of that local TV series. The station interviewed me for the job and then said they wanted someone more visibly Black. Should have sued them but didn't know any better civil rights was then a new reality. Well in my younger years, I was on TV a few times as an UNPAID RADICAL BLACK SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTER, oh well! Life in the USA can really be stupid some time!
She's so underrated as a vocalist. Voice as beautiful as her face. Her song The Touch of Time is my favourite and features The Supremes on backing vocals.
She is certainly known, loved and revered in Britain through her songs like your gonna love my baby, baby a gogo and it's a lonely lonely town which are northern soul classics and the much sought after album The Artistry Of Barbara Mcnair.
After looking at the picture of her parents idk. They don't even have the same facial features. She's obviously a person of color. The other thing we don't speak about is how people would " adopt" babies from family, neighbors or friends to cover up some scandal.
Yeah growing up in the late 60’s and early 70’s Barbara McNair was very popular! It is obvious she is a beautiful Black woman, but she doesn’t favor her parents (either one) at all.
@@turquoisepurple7sky151 I can see past age…..like a baby can look like one or the other parent. And an adult can look like one or the other “old” parent (well, I look like mine…my friends look like theirs) . In my opinion, she doesn’t look like either parent.
@@MoonLightOnWater1 Well! Unfortunately, you are blind as a bat and clearly bave not been around longer than 100 years. So, I suggest you pack this comment up and have it on the ER bed of life support because I have seen some genes that did not look a copy as the parents.
@@mactrek2 Thanks but I’m not confused by genetics, looking like a grand parent doesn’t preclude someone from also looking like a parent. I look just like my paternal grandmother AND my father but also a bit like my mother….again, she just doesn’t look like either parent TO ME🤷🏽♀️
@@tmmartinesq.6216I saw her in movies growing up and NEVER thought she was mixed, but I thought like many other Black performers she tried to look less Black to assimilate and be more acceptable!
💓 Things could not have been easy for her and it's good to keep in mind that she lended her talent to help make clear a path and open doors for so many more talented black singers and actors that would come along afterwards, that also had aspirations of stardom.
Colorism has been and will continue to be an issue..Colorism destroyed many black nations of people including the ancient Egyptians..Yes..it will remain an issue..
It's relevant because it was her skin tone that allowed her to be successful at that time. I remember reading "paper bag tests". If you were darker than a paperbag, you weren't going to be hired or even get in to some places as a customer. It's an unfortunate part of black history, the black experience. Even now, 60+ years later, skin tone still plays a part in which black performers are the most successful in the "mainstream" entertainment.
I think more than likely she was adopted. She doesn’t have the features of either parent. With all the racism going on back then, I wouldn’t doubt she was the product of an interracial relationship of a family member and was just raised by the McNairs.
Yes I agree. She didn't have them features, it's true. I think it's true. I mean there is black people that can look this way as we know. All are beautiful
I would HIGHLY doubt that she was adopted. The adoption process today is not a cakewalk. It's would have been extremely difficult, for anyone, who was not rich in the 1930s. To go through the process. Also there were NEVER any rumors about her being adopted until now. Which tells me. Her other four siblings must have looked similar to her phenotypically wise. No middle class or below, Black families would never take on the burden of adoption in the 1930s. Considering they already had four children.
I definitely remember Barbara McNair. I'm not sure why anyone would think she was white. Back then we knew she was a Negro, that's what we were referred to in those days. I thought she was beautiful woman. Until this day some people cannot or will not accept that we come in so many shades of brown, from light tan to the darkest of brown. I was born in 1953 so I watched her because my mother watched variety shows and than I watched her act. Thanks again for great content!!!
I remember her from my childhood. She was very beautiful and talented. She was on TV and was a popular singer. I saw her Jet and Ebony covers. I never thought nor heard of her passing for Black. The people around me were not jealous of nor vindictive towards her.
I've never heard of her and it's sad that she was accused of 'black' passing. First time hearing that term given the history of how many passed as white. Honestly, her features are no different than Lena Horne and Fredi Washington. We do come in different shades and being that we are American our features will be a mix of different cultures, some more European, aboriginal, etc. Thank you for uploading this video and history. 💜
"Well Lena Horne nose give her away, she has that Irish nose, even though her parents were maybe black or one of them being mixed, although Lena was reviewed to as being black, hell a lot of black Americans have great, great, great, grandmothers that was Irish, when Irish women was marrying black men, before it was outlawed in some states??
Great answer. No doubt there had been some white blood way back when and then didn't show up for generations. Any Caucasian that can't figure out enslaved people have been tainted by white blood(I'm not referring to mixed marriages or interacial known relationships and I certainly do not endorse any racist bs) is burying their heads in their own bs. Having watched far too many anthropology shows, I thought at first glance of one photo that was oddly lit that she could of have been "passing" but later photos I could begin to see the bones underneath and yup, that was a black face. I was upset when I figured out on my own how my son's Kindergarten girlfriend had an Irish last name. Neither the gf or her parents were Irish or white. Oh my, Barbara and her ancestors received their last name and/or some DNA same way.
She was never accused of passing as Black during her fame! That was not a thing. Everyone who saw McNair in the 1950s, 1960s, etc. knew she was Black. There seems to be this weird revision of history taking place that ignore the One Drop Rule and the actual history of Black Americans. All genetic surveys of Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved shows that they have mixed ancestry regardless of skin color or facial features. I'm looking forward to the video that accuses Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks of passing as Black because that's where this silliness is going.
I heard of her! She played on the Elvis movie A Change of Habit! She played a nun alongside Mary Tyler Moore! They helped with medical care for people in the hood! She also played in movies with Sidney Portier! Hollywood was and still is full of ..it! You got to go through soooo much to be an actress or actor! Look this way or look a certain way! They would make white women look Asian! Its crazy! There's no way I could be in Hollywood! Things got a little better tho! She was beautiful! She also had her on her on variety show too!! Thanks for this content!!❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊
Hollywood is definitely full of it. The actor Roman Castle wrote about his wild experiences in his book 'On My Way to Hollywood'. They wanted him in a dress and also attemped to turn him out. Simply chaotic. I pray he is in a good place right now.
That was my first introduction to her as well ("Change of Habit" w/Elvis), which I didn't see until the early '80s. Saw her on reruns of "McMillan & Wife" and the game show "Tattletales." She was beautiful.
@@dannydaniel8975 Then we never had a black president, young man. We are living in a day when Millennial generations and the younger ones have the masses' minds changed and made up about so many areas that were pretty sound and true years before they grew up to think they know so much. Everybody in our black community knew we come in different shades and complexions due to mixing of races that date back centuries ago. You couldn't wag a know-it-all head and tell us in the 80's and 90's that Jasmine Guy wasn't black, or that Lena Horne wasn't black...and so many others.
The beautiful, iconic, extremely talented Barbara McNair, like all the rest of us, had no control over how she looked. What Miss McNair did do was maximize her gifts amd became one of music history's greatest voices. No one truly knew what she had to deal with and the sacrifices she had to endure. I've always thought that Barbara McNair had a beautiful and unique voice. May her soul continue to rest peacefully.
She was a beautiful and talented women, who just lived her life ❤ We can’t choose our skin tone, we are who we are and look how we look. I have never heard of this lady until now, but wow she sure was beautiful 🧡
I never heard of her “black passing”. I just thought of her as being a talented woman of the times. She was a Black woman and although I remember her well from growing up I didn’t know any of her private life. She was just a good actress.
Native Americans use to pass for black “black passing” so they wouldn’t be exterminated back in the day ! By white people !! Black passing is now a thing (college scholarships, dating scene especially on social media apps) we call it BLACK FISHING
Sigh. Black passing was not a thing. This TH-camr made up this accusation to get clicks. No one in the 1960s would have even considered passing as Black to become an entertainer as real. Anyone looking at her would call her Black.
I remember seeing her in various TV 📺 shows and movies while growing up. She was a nicely looking woman. I look at my family and sometimes I'm amazed at the variety of colors, features and hair type. Knowing the the history of Black/AA I understand how & why.🧡
@autumnsmom0917 Exactly, I remember them as well. If you were becoming a teen in the 1970's, you understood what it was to embrace BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE. Our people were angry, about Integration and BUSING we didn't ask for or want in the South. My love for our Black American History came from the Black American teachers and college students like the Black Panthers. These were very academic individuals. Barbara McNair, Diahann Carroll, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Josephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, Lola Falana, Ruby Dee, were all light skinned but all were Black Americans with Black American parents. These women were coming out of the 1960's when we were kids into the 1970's when we started to get the Black writers. Then we got the Black Movies of that era that replace Hollywood for a time. We wrote and produce our own movies. Then we got the Pam Grier, Vonetta McKee, Brenda Sykes and Denise Nicholas. We know our history and our people. Barbra McNair had her issues but she never tried to pass for white.
What are you talking about? Barbara McNair never tried to pass. She was very well loved in the African American community. She was a singer and recording artist. Ms. McNair was a proud Black woman who stood for racial causes and supported a number of Black politicians of the 60s and 70s performing and fundraising for various causes. Barbara McNair was highly respected in the African American community. I know because I had the opportunity to be around her.
Exactly. Suddenly questioning the blackness of our Black American ancestors is a betrayal of our history and also shows a clear disregard for their struggle.
I used to love to see her on tv! When I was a little girl we used to watch her show and Tom Jone's show on the same day which I believe it was on Sunday night!❤ She had such beauty and talent. I also remember seeing her in "They Call Me Mr. Tibbs" and "A Change of Habit." She was actually ver famous back then!😊
Wow. I remember her as a frequent guest on popular tv variety shows. She was a talented black singer/entertainer. Then, she disappeared. Read that she went to Vegas to further her career. Totally forgot about her until now. Imo, she became so involved with the underworld (marriages/business) that it derailed her career. Sad, but true. Thanks, Karine, for your deep dive into the multi-talented Barbara McNair. ❤❤ P.S. Can you do videos on Irene Cara and Leslie Uggams? Each from different generations. Both extremely talented yet now somewhat forgotten.
Lena and Vanessa do have white people on their family tree as well as mixed race. Although her parents were both black, I believe that Barbara might have had a European ancestor on her family tree due to her facial features.
Nope. Black People are already mixed with all 3 Races! Our White DNA is totally different from Europeans! That is why we were called the HUEMAN Race! Because of the different shades and colors of GOD’S Original People!
I do recall seeing this actress as a child however, Jane Kennedy was the one that I noticed the most. Barbara McNair’s features were stunning. Passing as black, I don’t know. You can clearly see she was a black woman, beautiful, caramel in color. Thank you for your commentary.
Passing as black was not a thing to gain fame in the 1960s. No one thought that. It was also easy to trace her family. The only reason this accusation is happening is because this TH-camr wants clicks. Are people going to say that Thurgood Marshall or Rosa Parks passed as Black because they were light-skinned? That is where this kind of revisionism will lead. The majority of Black Americans are of mixed ancestry as all major genetics studies have shown.
Popular African-American vocalist and entertainer Barbara McNair dazzled audiences with her singing prowess and exceptional beauty for well over four decades until her death on February 4, 2007 of throat cancer in Los Angeles.
I'm not sure the age of the commentator but that history is heavily compressed. For one thing.. black people, the NAACP, Urban League did protest and complain hollywood's standards and representation of black actor and actresses but you can count on ONE HAND how many significant roles went to blacks in the FILM industry in any one year. The first breakthroughs were in television and you can count the big breaks on one hand ... Bill Cosby first black male lead in 1965, Nichelle Nichols first black woman with regular role in a drama 1966, Diahann Carol first black woman series lead in a half hour comedy, Gail Fisher first black woman regularly billed hour long drama. 1968 . That was it for years. CBS even instructed Paramount that no intimation of romance or attraction between Mannix & Fisher would pass network standards. Blacks did get more roles as guest stars on hour long medical and police dramas and that's where every black actor of that generation made their name... Lou Gosset, George Stanford Brown, Ben Hooks.. we were FULLY into the 1970s when "blaxploitation" became a thing and the dollars of black filmgoers were considered but BIG TIME HOLLYWOOD was not interested. If you watch the series Mad Men they had a plot based on reality where one of the admen discovers that Admiral TV sets sold disproportionately to black customers. He recommends to the Admiral execs that they buy ads in black publications and is told that the company is aware of this fact and doesn't want to call attention to it and wants to have ads that increase its share among WHITE customers. That was the attitude. The complaints by blacks, activists and orgs about black representation on tv and in movies meant more black actors showed up... some black casts were assembled.. Sanford and Son, That's My Mama and MY favorite... ROLL OUT! But the complaints about "blaxploitation" rebounded on us HARD by 1976.. the industry made a TARGET and promised to "be better" by showing more tasteful higher quality projects featuring blacks... in early 1977 the big budget miniseries ROOTS was shown. It is like a family picture of every employed black actor in Hollywood at the time.. and like a family picture.. it is the LAST TIME everybody saw each other. BLACKS GOT CANCELLED. Eventually Sanford was gone... the stars of the 1960s and early 70s shows and films faded off the air. There were some interesting shows like The White Shadow.. a high point and cop dramas now and then were the places where black actors could play distinct roles.. but the thin representation of blacks in comedies like Welcome Back Kotter faded and the careers with them. The only blacks who worked for the next 5 years were Gary Coleman, Nell Carter, Emmanuel Lewis, and Kim Fields ALL in series where they were the only black person in a sea of whites. Bill Cosby AGAIN had to lead us back onto the air in 1984. Then FOX and UPN attempted to form new TV networks .. stocking their early schedules with black comedies and cop shows. That went into the early 90s and we had ANOTHER mass extinction event where THAT generation of black stars got extincted... Kyme, Dawn Lewis, the cast of Living Single. Hollywood could take us or leave us and NO PERSON ON THIS EARTH passed for BLACK to MAKE MONEY or have a big career in Hollywood. You had whites who MINSTRELED blackness in which a clumsy application of shoe polish was sufficient or you had black women who whites wouldn't find "offensive" .. nichelle nichols broke THAT barrier way back when and it's only in the last 20 years that 'black looking black people'(not just color but noses, eyes, lips, hair and all that other inconvenient stuff) have become the NORM but Jayne Kennedy and Diahann Carroll worked busily in film and tv into the 90s!!!!
She lived with her family Morgan Park community on Chicago's South side close to my family. She grew up with my mom...her her niece and nephew. I mentioned her to my mom...and she said she knew her....my cousin / aunt said she had a crush on my cousin / uncle and she'd attack him on their way to school ..until she was told she'd get beat. I heard her attitude left much to be desired. She was common in appearance then...and in that MP community...as my mom and aunt were STUNNINGLY beautiful. Se surely wasn't passing b4 moving to LA... she was black...as she looked like everyone else.
Black people can be born in many shades from the history of their ancestry. But, she looked 100% Black. Being from New Orleans, LA, we have many Black people who look or could pass for White. So, this doesn’t phase me.
❤❤❤ Exactly! Only someone who doesn’t have strong supportive families with questions of ethnicity would dwell and insinuate, or debate on another’s heritage. My family is Black, Latina, West Indian, Central American, Taino and Caucasian. Our family gatherings would blow a lot of ppl minds😂 But like you said it doesn’t phase you and I❤ Peace
I used to watch Barbara in the 60’s. She was beautiful and talented. I don’t think she was trying to pass as white. Thanks for your video. So sad to think she died of throat cancer when her voice was her life talent..😔🙏🏼
"I don't know but it seems as if "Hollywood have "roots on some people, or be working some serious stuff? "And don't say anything about the "Jew'ish people, people start dying too! Its a shame but it is no longer coincidences or just seem like it either? Everyone I seen that speak badly or tell truth about these people either are summon to apologize, or they get sick?"
Oh my Goodness!!! l love her in the Elvis movie Breaking the Habit from 1969. She had a starring role playing a nun in the movie. She is beautiful. She went to one of Elvis concerts in Vegas and he gave her a shout out from the stage. ❤❤❤
This was hard for me. She looks like a mixed race women to me but she does look like she’s wearing very dark makeup. She has European features for sure. I would be curious to see her DNA and her siblings.
You all do know that European features are in Ethiopia and in Africa. IT LITERALLY CAME FROM AFRICA. YOU ALL ARE REALLY UNDEUCATED. TRAVEL TO AFRICA THEY HAVE ALL OF THE FEATURES WITHOUT ABY WHITE BLOOD
No. She is not passing. No one in the 1960s thought she was passing. That was not a thing. There are many pictures of McNair that show that she had brown skin. Yes, she looks visibly mixed but that is true of millions of Black Americans. No one ever accused Rosa Parks or Thurgood Marshall or Adam Clayton Powell of trying to pass as black because they were light-skinned. It's shocking how little many Black Americans know of their people's history.
I love reading all the comments from people saying they grew up during her time. I RESPECT the elder folk because they have EXPERIENCED life. God BLESS EVERYONE ❤❤❤
There’s NO WAY that those people were her biological parents. NO WAY POSSIBLE She WAS DEFINITELY MIXED RACE! And I think that she could’ve been “black passing”. She was definitely adopted. I don’t see how even one of them could be her parent. She was stunningly beautiful.
I remember her playing a disgruntled girlfriend in “The Jeffersons”. She pulled out a gun on George. It might have been the last few times that she would be on television. She was still pretty then..thanks for posting 😃
@@hwgray Were their parents both African-American in origin? If someone qualifies as "entirely Black" then it means that both their parents are of African-American ancestry, right? Light OR dark?
I loved her voice and I thought she was beautiful as well ! Never did we think she was white. She was just gorgeous I wish people would just leave these celebrity’s alone shut up about rumors ! She and others had a right to their lives and secrets!
As a teen growing up I always loved and enjoyed watching Barbara McNair shows and her singing. She was absolutely beautiful and she was not responsible for how she looked, her features or otherwise and I certainly don't believe all the negative things said about her. I can certainly emphasize with her.
A lot of older people said I look like Barbara McNair and if they were to produce a biopic of her, I should play her and in not an actress, at all. She was beautiful and sad what happened to her husband and all the racism she went through, as well as famous black people at that time. May she RIP. ❤️❤️❤️ Just like her, I'm a Chicagoan.
Back then women where natural beauties hair all of that. I remember all of my AUNTS back then they only wore lipstick a little powder! I have followed in their footsteps. Only wear make on special occasions. Did not burn my hair out at the roots. I am glad I stayed natural!
Women are still very much natural. Why do y'all always say this? Yes, the beauty standard back then was simpler and down-to-earth, but nothing's wrong with beauty standards today.
@@cloed0ll usually makes them feel good about being bland.....it's ok......my whole family are beautiful southern belles.....but we don't need to degrade others behind anonymous accounts to feel good....I'm published...tiara crowned...etc....makeup actually protects your skin....my mom did not have a wrinkle before 60.....and I'm a proud 45.....so your point is....
Well I knew this comment was gonna trigger the makeup worshippers 😂😂….women today are now using techniques that men use to make themselves look like women…henceforth “trannnneee makeup”
If a relationship or friendship is NOT bringing me peace, I let go. No matter who it is, I have cut people off for less than drug use. I found peace when I let go of things that causes me to mentally fight. No. This life is to be lived and I will live in peace.
Wow! I had never heard of Barbara before, but in my head, I said....""Dean Martin Show? " Dino was my favorite. This is incredible to hear of a new singer, black or otherwise. Love her and will put her on my Playlist. ❤
I was aware of this actress, because I recognize her face but did not know her name or anything about her other than she was a good actress. I don't see why anyone would consider her trying to pass for black or white. It was very obvious to me as a child that she was a black woman, I don't see why there was any confusion. Thanks for sharing and blessings to you and all in the days to come.
Thank you for this. I didn't know much about her but was always curious because she had "made it" in the entertainment industry. Thank you for helping me to better understand who she was. I only ever knew that she was a cousin on my dad's side. I once asked him if we could contact her and only said that we'd have to go through her manager to do so. He made it sound like an arduous process so, I left it alone and we never met.
I am so glad you did a video on Ms. McNair…thank you! I heard about Barbara McNair from my parents growing up in the 70s and about how sad it was that someone so beautiful and talented had fallen down so low. I think in her quest for fame she aligned herself with the wrong men. I also think Black women performers in her time had so few options to get ahead that she thought those underworld characters with their money and connections would help her like Sinatra. RIP ❤
I don’t think she looked White at all! She was super beautiful and just came out light skinned. I know someone who I went to high school with, two Black parents, her sisters were all dark skinned, but she was very light, like this actress. We come in many shades and we have different facial features.
I’m 78 mixed from East LA. She was always rumored as high yellow. Thank you for your reporting on the black dollar. It’s very sad now but even worse. I had no problem passing. Wow wish I had her talent! BTW my dad said that the wife of Louis Prima was not black but Native American. Do you do anything?
@@ivycarrano8207 No one is talking about Louie Primas, I am speaking of Barbra McNair. She was Black American from Chicago and she didn't try to pass for white!
I've never heard of her. It's very sad she had to endure so much controversy because she certainly was extremely beautiful and talented. Life as a female performer of color sure was hard for women of the past, it wasn't easy at all for so many.
A gorgeous, beautiful and stunning like woman. I remember her show when I was small. And I remember when she played on The Jefferson as Angela to hurt Mr. Jefferson. One of The Best scenes of that show. I think it aired around 1977 or 1978. That’s one Sexy Lady for real for real! RIP
❤Thank you again for teaching us about these beauties from the past and their struggles..too bad ignorance hindered her career, either way I’m gonna share the info about her too ❤
I’m a black male,that has two black parents!people including (my own) ask my race,which is crazy to me!sure my skin tone and hair is different but we come in all shades and hair textures …… 🫤 I tell them I’m black all the time!
I hear ya. I don't get the focus on skin color. My brother is asked all the time if he is "bi-racial.". He isn't. He has brown, kinky curly hair, brown eyes and naturally tanned looking skin..more like our dad. Wheras I have blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin like mom. We have the same parents!! People don't believe it.
So glad you cover her. She’s been under the radar when it comes to historical recollection. I really think her husband’s lifestyle and untimely dismiss derailed her career.
Now! some people don’t look like either of their parents SOMETIMES but those two people have very strong features and she doesn’t look anything like either of her parents. Imo she’s either completely adopted or one of them is her parent and the other one isn’t and they just decided to stay together, raise the baby, and keep that a secret.
@@autumnsmom1117 I hear you as well but come on.. In her close ups she has EXTREMELY European features, so much so that she does in fact look like a VERY tan white woman. I mean lol almost whiter than the whitest white woman… as we have seen with many people who are passable one of their parents is usually yt or biracial at least and that’s not the case here. Her “parents” look far removed from any white ancestors 🤷🏻♀️
@@BoujiHoodBaby In looking at the photo of her parents, I see she has her mom's smile, eye shape, brows and dad's head shape, nose and lips. I think she may have gotten hers taken in a bit. Her mom doesn't look dark skinned either. It's just refreshing to know we have her movies to remember her by. May she rest in peace. ❤️🌹
I went to college with a women, who looked exactly like Barbara McNair. Her last name was the same. She wore her hair the same way. I asked her if she knew Barbara McNair? She said no. I wonder if she was the child that she had given away?😮
So wild you're covering this topic because I was just thinking of how many white women passed for Black in our faces. I always think this when I see old HBCU photos. It's glaring. But, as for Ms. Barbara, I'd love to see any photos of her grandparents. IYKYK people acquired their skin color, eye color and hair texture from their grandparents.
There was no black-passing back in the day. There was the very real reality that the enslaved Black people came in many different colors and the law defined a black person as having one drop of African ancestry. That meant that the Black community had people whose skin color varied. Unfortunately, we are losing our history and understanding of who we are. All major genetic studies of Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved have mixed ancestry--with an average of 22% white European ancestry. Simply, Thomas Jefferson was not the only man to rape enslaved women. Of course, there were consensual relationships. People don't understand the power of the One Drop Rule and how enforced it was. No one would question the Blackness of Thurgood Marshall or Rosa Parks because they were light-skinned,
I saw her at the Bob Hope USO tour in 1967 when I was in Vietnam. Raquel Welch was on that tour also who was dressed in a miniskirt and Barbara MacNair came out in a long dress like she was playing in Vegas.
“When I was making a lot of movies, they didn't want the women to look too black. But black people objected to that policy, so then the industry did a reversal -- went all the way in the other direction. For the industry to limit itself to one look or another is unrealistic.” -B McNair.. watch this next “Lena Horne- JELOUS mother & her interracial marriage to further her career! + Her Hollywood REGRETS!”
th-cam.com/video/MgbECO5WMgs/w-d-xo.html
Her parents may look like normal everyday Nubians, but that woman for certain is a throwback. Her ancestors were not all Nubians, and NO there are NOT light-skinned Nubians that are not mixed. She probably has some indigenous ancestors, maybe Cherokee or Navajo. Look at her cheek bones, and jawline. She could even have Latin ancestors as the Spanish were the original European invaders of the "New World."
I loved Barbara McNair😊 ..I don't see any bit of Lena Horn. Great story..thank you.
@@barryallen1035Nubian, you're clueless. That out of Alkebulan has been debunked!
KarineAlourde
Barbara McNair was not WHITE and no Black American ever thought she was with two Black parents from Chicago. I find it more than a coincidence that Black immigrants take so much interest in BLACK AMERICAN and/or AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY that is not your own. Are you embarrassed by your own culture? Or is it that your culture is not MONETIZABLE, because no one has an interest in it. At any rate as Black Americans we have grown tired of the disrespect to our people, our culture and the COSPLAYING of our HISTORY! When we give you a very through accounting of your own people, culturally and traditionally don't cry foul, because it doesn't look that great. Nor does what you are engaged in here! I suggest you Monetize YOUR people's history. It's very sad they stayed STUCK in a COLONIZED PATHETIC MINDSET they raised most of you in. So cosplaying Black American Culture is the HUSTLE of Black Immigrants, especially Africans! None of you determines who's Black and who is white in the history of Black Americans. We are over 70 million people in this country that your parents immigrated to. Our history, culture, and achievements were already WRITTEN. We told and will tell our own stories and Barbra's story has been told more than once! We didn't need to wait on you to comb through it, we were either there or our history is passed down in the communities from centuries to decades!
Could you do a video on Donyale Luna the first Black Vogue model? HBO is doing a documentary on her lost story soon..🫶🏾
I grew up in the 60s and 70s, and I remember her well. She was a very beautiful black woman. I never thought she was passing. I loved seeing her in some of my favorite tv shows. She added a touch of class and elegance.❤💙❤️
When You EXPERIENCE HISTORY FIRST HAND NO DOUBTS ENTER YOUR MIND.❤From A DOUBLE OG NYC.
I grew up in the 50's 60's and 70's and yes, I never thought that she was passing. We knew that she was Black and we were Proud of Her because we saw Women that looked like us! Like Me! ❤❤
And not to mention, She Was Talented and Beautiful ❤❤❤
She wasn't Black,she was attractive though.
She WAS black. I grew up in the 60's and 70's I remember her and her TV show.
She was a very famous performer when I was very young, and I was completely unaware of any controversy regarding her heritage. I always saw her as a talented and beautiful black woman
I remember Barbara McNair. Never thought she was white or was passing Everyone knew wes black. The complaints I heard was she wasn't black enough.
@@markcarrell8053Just hang out in the comment section of black Republican or conservative videos or podcasts. We are “coconuts” to them.
Same here
& isn’t “black enough or white completely & utterly ridiculous? Not everyone fits into a neat little box
It shows how ignorant Americans are. Black and White. If you're not ugly enough you're not black if you're not pretty enough you're not white.
My family knew Ms. McNair. She was a beautiful black woman who had a tragic life. My father played in the big bands and my brother’s and one of my nephews is classically train. Music and drugs run hand and hand. She went as Billie Holiday, Bird, Miles and so many talented singers and musicians. Yet we see this tragedy play over continuously. I remember them and pray they will all have found peace. My musician father always warned us to leave beer, wine or Reefer they are starter vices that lead into a black hole. God bless. Thank you pointed this great vocalist out.
There's always a first time taking drugs and its usually offered.
I've always said that anyone who offers you drugs is not a friend.
Celebrities, especially the newly-famous, are often targeted by drug dealers, since to introduce a drug to them and get them addicted is financially beneficial to the dealer.
When I was around 13, I puffed a couple times on a cigarette and wondered what the appeal was.
Same when I tasted rum and when I took a couple puffs on weed, both when I was around 20.
I thank God that on first try they all tasted awful to me.
Barbara McNair and drugs???? I don't think so! I can't say what she did when she was young but I saw her in a hotel lobby in Chicago maybe a few years before she died. Very lovely, classy and obviously black lady who could've been anyone's mom, grandma. or church lady (lol)! When my friend and I told her we were fans, she invited us to join her for dinner. She was so nice and down to earth. Very well dressed and very intelligent. I hate these click bait culture vulture videos. She hardly died from drugs and she was no where near a Billie Holiday type. You're father as a musician should be the last person to spread stereotype fables.
@@sweet-sassy🙂👏👏👏👏 thank you. I've read or heard that Ms.McNair even did drugs . She died of cancer. Again thanks for your response .👏🙂🙏🌻
I’m 62. I remember her on so many variety shows. She was fantastic. She and Leslie Uggams and Diahann Carroll sang similar type songs. They were all brilliant. ❤❤❤
She looks black to me
Nancy Wilson was beautiful and talented too.
Amara La Negra was accused of being a white woman in dark makeup. I saw a video of her licking her skin and rubbing it and saying "see, it doesn't come off". What they really meant was that they felt Amara was too beautiful too actually be black, smh.
@@VeronicaReveles408still black
@@Jaydawg562 Her name says it all, "La Negra."
@@VeronicaReveles408 you just basically said she’s black but speaks Spanish. Her ancestors were from Africa, shes black lol
I was about to mention Amarah La Negra, people used to say she’s like Rachel Doleza 😂😂
They didn’t say that because they felt she was too pretty to be black. They felt because she spoke Spanish and was a dark skin Afro Latino she wore makeup. Ignorant but yes
I've never heard of her before seeing this video. She was absolutely beautiful and talented.
Same I too, have never heard of her either before now, thanks to Karine. She had such a beautiful stunning voice…💜
IMDB her.. she was a goto actress in tv.. i think she was the last guest star on the old Mission Impossible! Not a workhorse actress but if they needed a glamorous black guest star they'd consider her.
Whaaaaaat!?!?
I’ve heard of her, singer, actress of the 1960s, some 1970s
I grew up on songs and TV/movies.
She was a big deal in my childhood. I distinctly remember her, the singer Marilyn MaCoo and others like Vanetta McGee having a strong media presence during that time. I recall Barbara McNair being very proud of her heritage and doing great interviews in Ebony and Jet magazines. Cynda Williams reminded me of Barbara and could have probably done a great bio pic . Another great video!
Same here. She looks nothing like Lena Horne!
I remember the very first time I saw Marilyn McCoo sing. I was in fifth grade. I was mesmerized by her. I didn’t know about Barbara when I was younger, but if I had, I would’ve loved her just as much. She was stunning and talented.🥰
I remember them all.
@@claudiaimmerzeel5415 🙏🏻🥰💕 They should never be forgotten. The way I see it, they were the actual pioneers for rightful equality in this country. And I support and love them with my whole heart. 😍🙏🏻
@@Sandi-ke9mi Same here! I was mesmerized by Marilyn McCoo's beauty and talent the first time I saw her on TV. My mom said I could grow up to be as tall as her if I ate my greens! 😹 I did end up being that same height and I did eat my veggies, lol. It's so sweet to see Marilyn and her husband Billy are still together after over 50 years!
This is so ridiculous! I worked with Barbara back in the 80’s 100% Black. She was beautiful, talented and wonderful to work with. Her music director was my mentor Coleridge Taylor Perkinson. They operated with a level of class that not all Black artists were able to achieve when they made history. A sweet, kind lady. Miss her, Peace, Space
Thank you! It's really gross to have someone question McNair's blackness like this. The disrespect to our ancestors and their journey is twisted.
Thank you @wspaceman! Coleridge Taylor Perkinson? Say no more. Ms. McNair had to have it together to select him to be her Musical Director and a man of his caliber wouldn't waste his time otherwise. You are very blessed to have been mentored by him. I still listen regularly to "Christo Redentor". His choir arrangement on the Donald Byrd classic, is so meaningful and haunting. I was fortunate to have seen him conduct at the South Shore Cultural Center in Chicago a few years before his passing, may he rest in glory.
@@Laurelcanyonresident1982 Huh? McNair's history is well-documented. No one doubted her Black identity during her career's heyday. There have been many visibly mixed and white-passing Black Americans who've been famous: Adam Clayton Powell Jr? Thurgood Marshall? Muhammad Ali? Rosa Parks? Josephine Baker? Fredi Washington? Walter White? Denise Richards? Ellen Craft?
My uncle worked with her in the late 50's and early 60's. Barbra moved and catered to white men. My great uncle was Count Basie. He said Barbra had a rep along white me that she had (an singing talent that went beyond the mike) get it...She messed around alot with celebrity white men to get a head, She was beautiful and used her beauty. She did not mess around with black guys he said , cuz the white ones could help her. She had class but was known as a freak. Sje messed with DM , JD and host of others.
This is a new thing, mostly internet-driven, mostly from non Black peoples. There are no whites people who look Black. I really wish people would quit rewriting history like this.
She was such a beautiful and talented woman, anybody who believes that she was black passing is crazy. She was just a natural beauty and her skin color added to her beauty, she was one of my youthful fantasy girls. R.I.P.
She was far to brown to even be considered as"passing" now Lena Horne could definitely pass because she was so fair-skinned.
Such an interesting story! These stories should really be on tv. You cover so many black actresses that are familiar but we don’t know enough about. Have you ever pitched any of these segments as a limited series? You really ought to.
Right!
You are absolutely right. Back then I was considered too light because I had interracial biological parents. I was pretty and talented but was raised by working class Black parents on Cleveland Ohio's back then pre gentrified and very Black segregated East side. I was denied roles in high school plays for being too light, TOTALLY RIDICULOUS! A few sympathetic white people tried to get me to pass for white so they could help me have a career. I basically cussed them out because I am emotionally and culturally a Black person period! The last straw was when a Black friend who had me assist him with the production of some Black community documentaries in Cincinnati asked the local TV show too let me replace him as the show's executive producer of that local TV series. The station interviewed me for the job and then said they wanted someone more visibly Black. Should have sued them but didn't know any better civil rights was then a new reality. Well in my younger years, I was on TV a few times as an UNPAID RADICAL BLACK SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTER, oh well! Life in the USA can really be stupid some time!
What a beautiful woman with gorgeous natural teeth.
Barbara was beyond gorgeous. She shined in that pink dress.🌸🤌🏼
Love that she was from my home town…Chicago!🙌🏻
She's so underrated as a vocalist. Voice as beautiful as her face. Her song The Touch of Time is my favourite and features The Supremes on backing vocals.
I've never heard of her but as soon as she opened her mouth, I thought of Barbara Streisand
I love that one and "You're gonna love my baby" and yes she was a beautiful lady with a beautiful voice
She is certainly known, loved and revered in Britain through her songs like your gonna love my baby, baby a gogo and it's a lonely lonely town which are northern soul classics and the much sought after album The Artistry Of Barbara Mcnair.
After looking at the picture of her parents idk. They don't even have the same facial features. She's obviously a person of color. The other thing we don't speak about is how people would " adopt" babies from family, neighbors or friends to cover up some scandal.
Yea there’s no way those are her parents. She’s black tho.
@JuneBug_87 ...God is Good..Amen 🙏🏽❤️☮️
That's exactly what I was thinking. Besides "adoption" it could also be a case of mama's baby, daddy's maybe.
You people are blind.
You’ve never taken biology? You don’t know how genetics work? You don’t know people don’t always look like their parents? Embarrassing smh.
Yeah growing up in the late 60’s and early 70’s Barbara McNair was very popular! It is obvious she is a beautiful Black woman, but she doesn’t favor her parents (either one) at all.
That is because they looked old
@@turquoisepurple7sky151 I can see past age…..like a baby can look like one or the other parent. And an adult can look like one or the other “old” parent (well, I look like mine…my friends look like theirs) . In my opinion, she doesn’t look like either parent.
@@MoonLightOnWater1 Well! Unfortunately, you are blind as a bat and clearly bave not been around longer than 100 years. So, I suggest you pack this comment up and have it on the ER bed of life support because I have seen some genes that did not look a copy as the parents.
A child can look like any ancestor. I look like my grandmother, not like either of my parents. That's how genetics work.
@@mactrek2 Thanks but I’m not confused by genetics, looking like a grand parent doesn’t preclude someone from also looking like a parent. I look just like my paternal grandmother AND my father but also a bit like my mother….again, she just doesn’t look like either parent TO ME🤷🏽♀️
I've always thought she was black woman who was able to blend in with white folks. I never considered her a white woman.
Mixed race.
@@tmmartinesq.6216I saw her in movies growing up and NEVER thought she was mixed, but I thought like many other Black performers she tried to look less Black to assimilate and be more acceptable!
I remember her on jet magazine she was a icon. Everyone has a story. She was a beautiful black woman who survived.💖
💓 Things could not have been easy for her and it's good to keep in mind that she lended her talent to help make clear a path and open doors for so many more talented black singers and actors that would come along afterwards, that also had aspirations of stardom.
Who cares whether her skin tone was dark or light, she was a beautiful talented woman. Let her RIP🙏🏾
Colorism has been and will continue to be an issue..Colorism destroyed many black nations of people including the ancient Egyptians..Yes..it will remain an issue..
@@dorothycrawley3327 Yes this true but I wish colorism it will end!!
We may not care my dear but as an African-American woman a lot of people about the color and the nationalities of somebody that is
It's relevant because it was her skin tone that allowed her to be successful at that time. I remember reading "paper bag tests". If you were darker than a paperbag, you weren't going to be hired or even get in to some places as a customer. It's an unfortunate part of black history, the black experience. Even now, 60+ years later, skin tone still plays a part in which black performers are the most successful in the "mainstream" entertainment.
@@MoniTrr-c4tif you were born in and live in America, You are An American.
I think more than likely she was adopted. She doesn’t have the features of either parent. With all the racism going on back then, I wouldn’t doubt she was the product of an interracial relationship of a family member and was just raised by the McNairs.
Maybe she took after a grandparent who had those features.
Yes I agree.
She didn't have them features, it's true.
I think it's true.
I mean there is black people that can look this way as we know.
All are beautiful
I think she could have been adopted.
I would HIGHLY doubt that she was adopted. The adoption process today is not a cakewalk. It's would have been extremely difficult, for anyone, who was not rich in the 1930s. To go through the process. Also there were NEVER any rumors about her being adopted until now. Which tells me. Her other four siblings must have looked similar to her phenotypically wise. No middle class or below, Black families would never take on the burden of adoption in the 1930s. Considering they already had four children.
I completely agree with you.
I definitely remember Barbara McNair. I'm not sure why anyone would think she was white. Back then we knew she was a Negro, that's what we were referred to in those days. I thought she was beautiful woman.
Until this day some people cannot or will not accept that we come in so many shades of brown, from light tan to the darkest of brown.
I was born in 1953 so I watched her because my mother watched variety shows and than I watched her act.
Thanks again for great content!!!
No one thought she was white. There was never any controversy over McNair's ancestry. She first gained fame as a kid.
She was a lovely and talented lady. PERIOD!! May Miss McNair rest in sweet peace.
I remember her from my childhood. She was very beautiful and talented. She was on TV and was a popular singer. I saw her Jet and Ebony covers. I never thought nor heard of her passing for Black. The people around me were not jealous of nor vindictive towards her.
I've never heard of her and it's sad that she was accused of 'black' passing. First time hearing that term given the history of how many passed as white. Honestly, her features are no different than Lena Horne and Fredi Washington. We do come in different shades and being that we are American our features will be a mix of different cultures, some more European, aboriginal, etc. Thank you for uploading this video and history. 💜
"Well Lena Horne nose give her away, she has that Irish nose, even though her parents were maybe black or one of them being mixed, although Lena was reviewed to as being black, hell a lot of black Americans have great, great, great, grandmothers that was Irish, when Irish women was marrying black men, before it was outlawed in some states??
Great answer. No doubt there had been some white blood way back when and then didn't show up for generations. Any Caucasian that can't figure out enslaved people have been tainted by white blood(I'm not referring to mixed marriages or interacial known relationships and I certainly do not endorse any racist bs) is burying their heads in their own bs. Having watched far too many anthropology shows, I thought at first glance of one photo that was oddly lit that she could of have been "passing" but later photos I could begin to see the bones underneath and yup, that was a black face. I was upset when I figured out on my own how my son's Kindergarten girlfriend had an Irish last name. Neither the gf or her parents were Irish or white. Oh my, Barbara and her ancestors received their last name and/or some DNA same way.
She was never accused of passing as Black during her fame! That was not a thing. Everyone who saw McNair in the 1950s, 1960s, etc. knew she was Black. There seems to be this weird revision of history taking place that ignore the One Drop Rule and the actual history of Black Americans. All genetic surveys of Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved shows that they have mixed ancestry regardless of skin color or facial features.
I'm looking forward to the video that accuses Thurgood Marshall and Rosa Parks of passing as Black because that's where this silliness is going.
@@HindiOliver A lot of Irish, Mexican and Italian men married and procreated with Black women as well.
I heard of her! She played on the Elvis movie A Change of Habit! She played a nun alongside Mary Tyler Moore! They helped with medical care for people in the hood! She also played in movies with Sidney Portier! Hollywood was and still is full of ..it! You got to go through soooo much to be an actress or actor! Look this way or look a certain way! They would make white women look Asian! Its crazy! There's no way I could be in Hollywood! Things got a little better tho! She was beautiful! She also had her on her on variety show too!! Thanks for this content!!❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊
I loved Change of Habit and almost forgot she was in it.
Hollywood is definitely full of it. The actor Roman Castle wrote about his wild experiences in his book 'On My Way to Hollywood'. They wanted him in a dress and also attemped to turn him out. Simply chaotic. I pray he is in a good place right now.
I watched her variety show when I was a kid, Hollywierd was so bigoted and racist back then with their stereotypes and typecasting
She was a singer at the graduation in Spenser's Mountain. " Starred Henry Fonda, Maureen O'Hara.
That was my first introduction to her as well ("Change of Habit" w/Elvis), which I didn't see until the early '80s. Saw her on reruns of "McMillan & Wife" and the game show "Tattletales." She was beautiful.
I clicked on this right away. Barbara McNair was a beautiful woman. Black folks always knew she was black.
Mixed race, not black
She wasn’t mullatoo
@@dannydaniel8975 Then we never had a black president, young man. We are living in a day when Millennial generations and the younger ones have the masses' minds changed and made up about so many areas that were pretty sound and true years before they grew up to think they know so much. Everybody in our black community knew we come in different shades and complexions due to mixing of races that date back centuries ago. You couldn't wag a know-it-all head and tell us in the 80's and 90's that Jasmine Guy wasn't black, or that Lena Horne wasn't black...and so many others.
@@yvonnerobert-carr8809I’m so tired of it too, either keep the same energy for everyone. It’s so old now
@@dannydaniel8975She was whole black
The beautiful, iconic, extremely talented Barbara McNair, like all the rest of us, had no control over how she looked. What Miss McNair did do was maximize her gifts amd became one of music history's greatest voices. No one truly knew what she had to deal with and the sacrifices she had to endure. I've always thought that Barbara McNair had a beautiful and unique voice. May her soul continue to rest peacefully.
She was a beautiful and talented women, who just lived her life ❤
We can’t choose our skin tone, we are who we are and look how we look.
I have never heard of this lady until now, but wow she sure was beautiful 🧡
Same here ditto I hope learned about her sooner.
I never heard of her “black passing”. I just thought of her as being a talented woman of the times. She was a Black woman and although I remember her well from growing up I didn’t know any of her private life. She was just a good actress.
Now a days Mulatto people are being pushed out of the black community. If you’re not 💯 percent black you aren’t black
Native Americans use to pass for black “black passing” so they wouldn’t be exterminated back in the day ! By white people !!
Black passing is now a thing (college scholarships, dating scene especially on social media apps) we call it BLACK FISHING
Sigh. Black passing was not a thing. This TH-camr made up this accusation to get clicks. No one in the 1960s would have even considered passing as Black to become an entertainer as real. Anyone looking at her would call her Black.
I remember Barbara McNair from the 1960s/1970s.
She was always known as a black woman. She was beautiful!
I remember seeing her in various TV 📺 shows and movies while growing up. She was a nicely looking woman. I look at my family and sometimes I'm amazed at the variety of colors, features and hair type. Knowing the the history of Black/AA I understand how & why.🧡
@autumnsmom0917
Exactly, I remember them as well. If you were becoming a teen in the 1970's, you understood what it was to embrace BLACK AMERICAN CULTURE. Our people were angry, about Integration and BUSING we didn't ask for or want in the South. My love for our Black American History came from the Black American teachers and college students like the Black Panthers. These were very academic individuals. Barbara McNair, Diahann Carroll, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, Josephine Baker, Eartha Kitt, Lola Falana, Ruby Dee, were all light skinned but all were Black Americans with Black American parents. These women were coming out of the 1960's when we were kids into the 1970's when we started to get the Black writers. Then we got the Black Movies of that era that replace Hollywood for a time. We wrote and produce our own movies. Then we got the Pam Grier, Vonetta McKee, Brenda Sykes and Denise Nicholas. We know our history and our people. Barbra McNair had her issues but she never tried to pass for white.
I forgot about her
What are you talking about? Barbara McNair never tried to pass. She was very well loved in the African American community. She was a singer and recording artist. Ms. McNair was a proud Black woman who stood for racial causes and supported a number of Black politicians of the 60s and 70s performing and fundraising for various causes. Barbara McNair was highly respected in the African American community. I know because I had the opportunity to be around her.
Lola Folona and Barbara Mcnair had similar stories.
Exactly. Suddenly questioning the blackness of our Black American ancestors is a betrayal of our history and also shows a clear disregard for their struggle.
She was black and beautiful. I remember her fully. I'm glad you featured her. Thanks Marine Alourde.
I used to love to see her on tv! When I was a little girl we used to watch her show and Tom Jone's show on the same day which I believe it was on Sunday night!❤ She had such beauty and talent. I also remember seeing her in "They Call Me Mr. Tibbs" and "A Change of Habit." She was actually ver famous back then!😊
Wow. I remember her as a frequent guest on popular tv variety shows. She was a talented black singer/entertainer. Then, she disappeared. Read that she went to Vegas to further her career. Totally forgot about her until now. Imo, she became so involved with the underworld (marriages/business) that it derailed her career. Sad, but true. Thanks, Karine, for your deep dive into the multi-talented Barbara McNair. ❤❤ P.S. Can you do videos on Irene Cara and Leslie Uggams? Each from different generations. Both extremely talented yet now somewhat forgotten.
I never thought she was black passing. For the longest time, people thought that Lena Horne and Vanessa Williams were biracial.
Some still think that about Vanessa Williams.
Lena and Vanessa do have white people on their family tree as well as mixed race. Although her parents were both black, I believe that Barbara might have had a European ancestor on her family tree due to her facial features.
@@joyyoung3108 I agree
Nope. Black People are already mixed with all 3 Races! Our White DNA is totally different from Europeans!
That is why we were called the HUEMAN Race! Because of the different shades and colors of GOD’S Original People!
@@joyyoung3108I agree. Many black Americans have some European ancestry.
I do recall seeing this actress as a child however, Jane Kennedy was the one that I noticed the most. Barbara McNair’s features were stunning. Passing as black, I don’t know. You can clearly see she was a black woman, beautiful, caramel in color. Thank you for your commentary.
who would pass for Black in those days .. there wouldn’t be a benefit
Jayne was just heavenl
Jane Kennedy no doubt! also Tracy Reed too!!
Passing as black was not a thing to gain fame in the 1960s. No one thought that. It was also easy to trace her family. The only reason this accusation is happening is because this TH-camr wants clicks.
Are people going to say that Thurgood Marshall or Rosa Parks passed as Black because they were light-skinned? That is where this kind of revisionism will lead. The majority of Black Americans are of mixed ancestry as all major genetics studies have shown.
That thumbnail pic is not Barbara McNair. These beautiful black women did what they had to do. I’m thankful they did!
Popular African-American vocalist and entertainer Barbara McNair dazzled audiences with her singing prowess and exceptional beauty for well over four decades until her death on February 4, 2007 of throat cancer in Los Angeles.
She was Beautiful! Reminds me of Marilyn McCoo of the 5th dimension and the lady on the talk.
I was thinking the same thing!!
I'm not sure the age of the commentator but that history is heavily compressed. For one thing.. black people, the NAACP, Urban League did protest and complain hollywood's standards and representation of black actor and actresses but you can count on ONE HAND how many significant roles went to blacks in the FILM industry in any one year. The first breakthroughs were in television and you can count the big breaks on one hand ... Bill Cosby first black male lead in 1965, Nichelle Nichols first black woman with regular role in a drama 1966, Diahann Carol first black woman series lead in a half hour comedy, Gail Fisher first black woman regularly billed hour long drama. 1968 . That was it for years. CBS even instructed Paramount that no intimation of romance or attraction between Mannix & Fisher would pass network standards. Blacks did get more roles as guest stars on hour long medical and police dramas and that's where every black actor of that generation made their name... Lou Gosset, George Stanford Brown, Ben Hooks.. we were FULLY into the 1970s when "blaxploitation" became a thing and the dollars of black filmgoers were considered but BIG TIME HOLLYWOOD was not interested. If you watch the series Mad Men they had a plot based on reality where one of the admen discovers that Admiral TV sets sold disproportionately to black customers. He recommends to the Admiral execs that they buy ads in black publications and is told that the company is aware of this fact and doesn't want to call attention to it and wants to have ads that increase its share among WHITE customers. That was the attitude. The complaints by blacks, activists and orgs about black representation on tv and in movies meant more black actors showed up... some black casts were assembled.. Sanford and Son, That's My Mama and MY favorite... ROLL OUT! But the complaints about "blaxploitation" rebounded on us HARD by 1976.. the industry made a TARGET and promised to "be better" by showing more tasteful higher quality projects featuring blacks... in early 1977 the big budget miniseries ROOTS was shown. It is like a family picture of every employed black actor in Hollywood at the time.. and like a family picture.. it is the LAST TIME everybody saw each other. BLACKS GOT CANCELLED. Eventually Sanford was gone... the stars of the 1960s and early 70s shows and films faded off the air. There were some interesting shows like The White Shadow.. a high point and cop dramas now and then were the places where black actors could play distinct roles.. but the thin representation of blacks in comedies like Welcome Back Kotter faded and the careers with them. The only blacks who worked for the next 5 years were Gary Coleman, Nell Carter, Emmanuel Lewis, and Kim Fields ALL in series where they were the only black person in a sea of whites. Bill Cosby AGAIN had to lead us back onto the air in 1984. Then FOX and UPN attempted to form new TV networks .. stocking their early schedules with black comedies and cop shows. That went into the early 90s and we had ANOTHER mass extinction event where THAT generation of black stars got extincted... Kyme, Dawn Lewis, the cast of Living Single. Hollywood could take us or leave us and NO PERSON ON THIS EARTH passed for BLACK to MAKE MONEY or have a big career in Hollywood. You had whites who MINSTRELED blackness in which a clumsy application of shoe polish was sufficient or you had black women who whites wouldn't find "offensive" .. nichelle nichols broke THAT barrier way back when and it's only in the last 20 years that 'black looking black people'(not just color but noses, eyes, lips, hair and all that other inconvenient stuff) have become the NORM but Jayne Kennedy and Diahann Carroll worked busily in film and tv into the 90s!!!!
I’ve heard of Barbara McNair
all my life. I always thought she
was a very Beautiful Black woman.
Thank you, great bio🙏🏾💎
She's obviously blk beautiful and talented.. may she rest in peace
She lived with her family Morgan Park community on Chicago's South side close to my family. She grew up with my mom...her her niece and nephew. I mentioned her to my mom...and she said she knew her....my cousin / aunt said she had a crush on my cousin / uncle and she'd attack him on their way to school ..until she was told she'd get beat.
I heard her attitude left much to be desired. She was common in appearance then...and in that MP community...as my mom and aunt were STUNNINGLY beautiful. Se surely wasn't passing b4 moving to LA... she was black...as she looked like everyone else.
Black people can be born in many shades from the history of their ancestry. But, she looked 100% Black. Being from New Orleans, LA, we have many Black people who look or could pass for White. So, this doesn’t phase me.
❤❤❤ Exactly!
Only someone who doesn’t have strong supportive families with questions of ethnicity would dwell and insinuate, or debate on another’s heritage.
My family is Black, Latina, West Indian, Central American, Taino and Caucasian.
Our family gatherings would blow a lot of ppl minds😂
But like you said it doesn’t phase you and I❤
Peace
I used to watch Barbara in the 60’s. She was beautiful and talented. I don’t think she was trying to pass as white. Thanks for your video. So sad to think she died of throat cancer when her voice was her life talent..😔🙏🏼
"I don't know but it seems as if "Hollywood have "roots on some people, or be working some serious stuff? "And don't say anything about the "Jew'ish people, people start dying too! Its a shame but it is no longer coincidences or just seem like it either? Everyone I seen that speak badly or tell truth about these people either are summon to apologize, or they get sick?"
Oh my Goodness!!! l love her in the Elvis movie Breaking the Habit from 1969. She had a starring role playing a nun in the movie. She is beautiful. She went to one of Elvis concerts in Vegas and he gave her a shout out from the stage. ❤❤❤
I meant to say Change of Habit
I had forgotten about her. It has been decades since I heard her name. She was beautiful and had a beautiful voice.
Never thought she was anything but an extremely talented Black woman. ❤ R.I.P. Barbara
Gosh she was stunning! ❤
This was hard for me. She looks like a mixed race women to me but she does look like she’s wearing very dark makeup. She has European features for sure. I would be curious to see her DNA and her siblings.
You all do know that European features are in Ethiopia and in Africa. IT LITERALLY CAME FROM AFRICA. YOU ALL ARE REALLY UNDEUCATED. TRAVEL TO AFRICA THEY HAVE ALL OF THE FEATURES WITHOUT ABY WHITE BLOOD
More likely biracial.
@@lolagunz She is black. Her parents are black. Stop lying to make yourself feel better
No. She is not passing. No one in the 1960s thought she was passing. That was not a thing. There are many pictures of McNair that show that she had brown skin. Yes, she looks visibly mixed but that is true of millions of Black Americans.
No one ever accused Rosa Parks or Thurgood Marshall or Adam Clayton Powell of trying to pass as black because they were light-skinned. It's shocking how little many Black Americans know of their people's history.
Could've been an experiment.. I second your comment.
She looks like Paula Patten,very beautiful
I see it.
Yes she deffinetly does!
True
Yes and she reminds me of Claudia Jordan too
Wow she does look like her.
I love reading all the comments from people saying they grew up during her time. I RESPECT the elder folk because they have EXPERIENCED life. God BLESS EVERYONE ❤❤❤
There’s NO WAY that those people were her biological parents. NO WAY POSSIBLE
She WAS DEFINITELY MIXED RACE!
And I think that she could’ve been “black passing”.
She was definitely adopted. I don’t see how even one of them could be her parent.
She was stunningly beautiful.
I remember her playing a disgruntled girlfriend in “The Jeffersons”. She pulled out a gun on George. It might have been the last few times that she would be on television. She was still pretty then..thanks for posting 😃
I remember that episode when it first aired.
I had always thought she was a mixed race, black-and-white woman. I never thought she was entirely white or entirely Black!
She is mixed race. No 100% African woman looks like her.
Yes
She was biracial
@@Dhruv_Dogra Like Frederick Douglass?
"entirely Black" What does that mean? Were Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali, for instance, "entirely Black"?
@@hwgray Were their parents both African-American in origin? If someone qualifies as "entirely Black" then it means that both their parents are of African-American ancestry, right? Light OR dark?
I loved her voice and I thought she was beautiful as well ! Never did we think she was white. She was just gorgeous I wish people would just leave these celebrity’s alone shut up about rumors ! She and others had a right to their lives and secrets!
As a teen growing up I always loved and enjoyed watching Barbara McNair shows and her singing. She was absolutely beautiful and she was not responsible for how she looked, her features or otherwise and I certainly don't believe all the negative things said about her. I can certainly emphasize with her.
A lot of older people said I look like Barbara McNair and if they were to produce a biopic of her, I should play her and in not an actress, at all. She was beautiful and sad what happened to her husband and all the racism she went through, as well as famous black people at that time. May she RIP. ❤️❤️❤️
Just like her, I'm a Chicagoan.
Back then women where natural beauties hair all of that. I remember all of my AUNTS back then they only wore lipstick a little powder! I have followed in their footsteps. Only wear make on special occasions. Did not burn my hair out at the roots. I am glad I stayed natural!
Women are still very much natural. Why do y'all always say this? Yes, the beauty standard back then was simpler and down-to-earth, but nothing's wrong with beauty standards today.
@@cloed0ll usually makes them feel good about being bland.....it's ok......my whole family are beautiful southern belles.....but we don't need to degrade others behind anonymous accounts to feel good....I'm published...tiara crowned...etc....makeup actually protects your skin....my mom did not have a wrinkle before 60.....and I'm a proud 45.....so your point is....
Well I knew this comment was gonna trigger the makeup worshippers 😂😂….women today are now using techniques that men use to make themselves look like women…henceforth “trannnneee makeup”
She has no baby pictures?????? Yeah the conspiracy gets deeper.
Right. I think she was adopted by that couple
She doesn't look anything like her parents- she has none of their features. She looks mixed.
Really strange she and her siblings have no pictures.What about high school graduation picture?
In some pics she has a 5 o'clock shadow wtf??
A lot of people don't have baby pictures for many reasons. I am one of them. I remember her; from my perspective, she was a light-skinned black woman.
I always loved her. Beautiful, talented. She was a black entertainer with enormous talent.
If a relationship or friendship is NOT bringing me peace, I let go. No matter who it is, I have cut people off for less than drug use. I found peace when I let go of things that causes me to mentally fight. No. This life is to be lived and I will live in peace.
We loved Barbara McNair.. thanks for the video!
The title 👀👀 oh gosh! We're here for this karine ❤
Lol ❤❤
Wow! I had never heard of Barbara before, but in my head, I said....""Dean Martin Show? " Dino was my favorite. This is incredible to hear of a new singer, black or otherwise. Love her and will put her on my Playlist. ❤
I was aware of this actress, because I recognize her face but did not know her name or anything about her other than she was a good actress. I don't see why anyone would consider her trying to pass for black or white. It was very obvious to me as a child that she was a black woman, I don't see why there was any confusion. Thanks for sharing and blessings to you and all in the days to come.
Thank you for this. I didn't know much about her but was always curious because she had "made it" in the entertainment industry. Thank you for helping me to better understand who she was. I only ever knew that she was a cousin on my dad's side. I once asked him if we could contact her and only said that we'd have to go through her manager to do so. He made it sound like an arduous process so, I left it alone and we never met.
A beautiful queen 👑. Long love Mrs. McNair❤❤❤❤❤❤
I am so glad you did a video on Ms. McNair…thank you! I heard about Barbara McNair from my parents growing up in the 70s and about how sad it was that someone so beautiful and talented had fallen down so low. I think in her quest for fame she aligned herself with the wrong men. I also think Black women performers in her time had so few options to get ahead that she thought those underworld characters with their money and connections would help her like Sinatra. RIP ❤
I love your channel. You are so sweet and the videos you make are so important. Thank you Karine.
She is a beautiful It doesn't matter if she's black or white, yellow red pepper of pink
I remember her never thought she was anything but a beautiful talented black woman though 🥰
I don’t think she looked White at all! She was super beautiful and just came out light skinned. I know someone who I went to high school with, two Black parents, her sisters were all dark skinned, but she was very light, like this actress. We come in many shades and we have different facial features.
Exactly!
Sometimes women have affairs and become pregnant. Sometimes families adopt.
She was not light skinned.
@@KnowThySelves yes heavily diluted, could be some asian in there.
@@deniseforeman7241She was light-skinned
I’m 78 mixed from East LA. She was always rumored as high yellow. Thank you for your reporting on the black dollar. It’s very sad now but even worse. I had no problem passing. Wow wish I had her talent! BTW my dad said that the wife of Louis Prima was not black but Native American. Do you do anything?
She never tried to pass!
Louie Primas wife was not black.😊
@@ivycarrano8207
No one is talking about Louie Primas, I am speaking of Barbra McNair. She was Black American from Chicago and she didn't try to pass for white!
I have never heard of her, but I wasn’t in the US until 1971. I’m not sure how I missed her!
I've never heard of her. It's very sad she had to endure so much controversy because she certainly was extremely beautiful and talented. Life as a female performer of color sure was hard for women of the past, it wasn't easy at all for so many.
Yes I remember her! A beautiful lady😊
what a beautiful superstar McNair is! Merci beaucoup KARINE!!!
I loved her, she even had a Motown contract. I love her version of Here I Am. Thanks for the video.🙏👍
I have that album I like her version a little better than the marveletts
She was not white. Never ever herd of her passing.
Neither did anyone else. I think this was part of someone making a click bait headline.
A gorgeous, beautiful and stunning like woman. I remember her show when I was small. And I remember when she played on The Jefferson as Angela to hurt Mr. Jefferson. One of The Best scenes of that show. I think it aired around 1977 or 1978. That’s one Sexy Lady for real for real! RIP
❤Thank you again for teaching us about these beauties from the past and their struggles..too bad ignorance hindered her career, either way I’m gonna share the info about her too ❤
I’m a black male,that has two black parents!people including (my own) ask my race,which is crazy to me!sure my skin tone and hair is different but we come in all shades and hair textures …… 🫤 I tell them I’m black all the time!
I hear ya. I don't get the focus on skin color. My brother is asked all the time if he is "bi-racial.". He isn't. He has brown, kinky curly hair, brown eyes and naturally tanned looking skin..more like our dad. Wheras I have blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin like mom. We have the same parents!! People don't believe it.
Another beautifully articulated deeply researched video 💛
She was a beautiful woman but I’m sorry she looks nothing like Lena Horne. Lena Horne is Iconic. Her & Dorthy Dandridge. ❤
They have similar bone structure, but the have their own unique looks.
Yea not many could touch Lenna. The only person who I've ever seen that was as beautiful as she, was Vanity in the 80s.
I remember Ms. McNair from the seventies, she was beautiful, and you are right, she does not look like Lena Horne.
Tbh Lena Horne and Audrey Hepburn look similar.
Barbara reminds me of that girl from glee Lea Michele. Especially the jaw, nose, and cheekbones.
So glad you cover her. She’s been under the radar when it comes to historical recollection. I really think her husband’s lifestyle and untimely dismiss derailed her career.
Gosh, I was surprised to see this video on Barbara McNair. I loved her voice, and she was so beautiful. Hollywood has it's stories!!!!! Thank you!!!
Great video, My grandfather used to rollerskate with Barbara in Racine, Wisconsin . He said she was nice but could be stand offish.
This was a great video. She was on television often when I was a kid.
Now! some people don’t look like either of their parents SOMETIMES but those two people have very strong features and she doesn’t look anything like either of her parents. Imo she’s either completely adopted or one of them is her parent and the other one isn’t and they just decided to stay together, raise the baby, and keep that a secret.
I hear what you are saying, but we don't know what's in her parents' DNA.
Agreed. That photo of her with her parents reminded me of the old preschool song, "One of these things is not like the other ..." 🤷🏽♀️
@@autumnsmom1117 I hear you as well but come on..
In her close ups she has EXTREMELY European features, so much so that she does in fact look like a VERY tan white woman. I mean lol almost whiter than the whitest white woman… as we have seen with many people who are passable one of their parents is usually yt or biracial at least and that’s not the case here. Her “parents” look far removed from any white ancestors 🤷🏻♀️
@@AlmondJoie😂😂
@@BoujiHoodBaby In looking at the photo of her parents, I see she has her mom's smile, eye shape, brows and dad's head shape, nose and lips. I think she may have gotten hers taken in a bit. Her mom doesn't look dark skinned either. It's just refreshing to know we have her movies to remember her by. May she rest in peace. ❤️🌹
Barbara was a beautiful woman very talented singer and she did some actimi. I never thought she was anything but black. Respect
I went to college with a women, who looked exactly like Barbara McNair. Her last name was the same. She wore her hair the same way. I asked her if she knew Barbara McNair? She said no. I wonder if she was the child that she had given away?😮
Yikes alive !
Idk girl. I think she was a biracial child given to that couple.
So wild you're covering this topic because I was just thinking of how many white women passed for Black in our faces. I always think this when I see old HBCU photos. It's glaring.
But, as for Ms. Barbara, I'd love to see any photos of her grandparents.
IYKYK people acquired their skin color, eye color and hair texture from their grandparents.
There was no black-passing back in the day. There was the very real reality that the enslaved Black people came in many different colors and the law defined a black person as having one drop of African ancestry. That meant that the Black community had people whose skin color varied. Unfortunately, we are losing our history and understanding of who we are. All major genetic studies of Black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved have mixed ancestry--with an average of 22% white European ancestry. Simply, Thomas Jefferson was not the only man to rape enslaved women. Of course, there were consensual relationships.
People don't understand the power of the One Drop Rule and how enforced it was. No one would question the Blackness of Thurgood Marshall or Rosa Parks because they were light-skinned,
Never heard of her before 😮 Thank you for 🎉
I saw her at the Bob Hope USO tour in 1967 when I was in Vietnam. Raquel Welch was on that tour also who was dressed in a miniskirt and Barbara MacNair came out in a long dress like she was playing in Vegas.
God Bless you! FINALLY!!!!! Someone remembers my girl BARBARA.