What Ever Happened to Hazel Scott?

Hazel Dorothy Scott (June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Trinidadian-born jazz and classical pianist and singer; she also performed as herself in several films. Hazel Scott Hazel Scott in Rhapsody in Blue trailer.jpg the trailer for the film Rhapsody in Blue (1945). Born Hazel Dorothy Scott June 11, 1920 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Died October 2, 1981 (aged 61) Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York City, New York, U.S. Spouse(s) Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (married 1945-1960) Ezio Bedin (married 1961-?) Born in Port of Spain, Hazel was taken at the age of four by her mother to New York City. Recognized early as a musical prodigy, Scott was given scholarships from the age of eight to study at the Juilliard School. She began performing in a jazz band in her teens and was performing on radio at age 16. She was prominent as a jazz singer throughout the 1930s and 1940s. In 1950, she became the first black person to have a TV show, The Hazel Scott Show,[1] featuring a variety of entertainment. Her career in America faltered after she testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the McCarthy era. Scott subsequently moved to Paris in the late 1950s and performed in France, not returning to the United States until 1967. Source Wikipedia

This video essay tells the story of the extraordinary pianist and jazz vocalist, Hazel Scott. Written and edited by Eve Goldberg