Quick Thoughts on Nina Mae McKinney

These "quick thoughts" on Nina Mae McKinney have been on my mind for a few weeks now. In case you don't know, I'm a big fan of Nina Mae McKinney fan--the actress best known for her work as "Chick" in 1929's Hallelujah!--a role that would make her Hollywood's first Black Leading Lady. 

From Afrobella

Just as soon as Ms. McKinney's star rose in Hollywood, it quickly began to fall--a story that a lot of classic actresses of color were/are all too familiar with. However, as always, I have my "shoulda, coulda, woulda's"...

A few weeks ago, I watched a clip of Ms. McKinney in the 1931 pre-code film, Safe in Hell. While watching it, I immediately thought about how perfectly her name would have fit alongside the names of the most notorious Pre-Code queens (Barbara Stanwyck, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Blondell, etc.). She had the looks (but at the same time, she didn't--if you know what I mean) and she definitely had that "Pre-Code" spunk and brashness.

From the trailer for 1935 film, Reckless (Made by me)

Unfortunately, I'm quite certain that if Ms. McKinney were given those envelope-pushing (lead) roles of the early 1930's, there would have been a lot of emphasis on her race--probably to the point of fetish, but it is nice to journey through a perfect world in my mind--a perfect world where Nina Mae McKinney is in front of somebody's camera, exchanging witticisms, getting revenge on her wrongdoers, and shamelessly destroying the patriarchy and racism like her Hollywood peers.