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“I’m proud as can be of my Black ancestry.” Carol Channing Passes Away at 97

Andrew Shade
By Andrew Shade

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Legendary Broadway star Carol Channing has passed away at the age of 97. Mostly known for originating the role of Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, her raspy voice was distinct and unmistakable.

Channing was born in Seattle and found her love of theatre at a young age due to passing out copies of The Christian Science Monitor in front of performance spaces. When it came time for her to go off to college, her mother revealed to her a family secret. She was partially Black. Her paternal grandmother was listed as ‘colored’ on her birth certificate making her father, George Channing, a Black German American. Her mother told her because she would be on her own now and didn’t want her to be surprised if “she had a Black baby.”

I know it’s true the moment I sing and dance. I’m proud as can be of [my black ancestry]. It’s one of the great strains in show business. I’m so grateful. My father was a very dignified man and as white as I am. My [paternal] grandparents were Nordic German, so apparently I [too] took after them [in appearance]

Channing went on to major in drama at Bennington College in Vermont but left school her junior year because of a mention in the New Yorker magazine. However, it was four years until she found another acting gig. She made her stage debut in “Never Take No for an Answer” and was an understudy in “Let’s Face It” but it was her role in the Broadway musical “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” in 1949 that made her a star.

In 1964 Channing stole all of our hearts as Dolly Gallagher Levi in “Hello Dolly!” and we never wanted her to go away again. It was the role that solidified and defined her as a Broadway staple. This lead to her starring in the movie musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie” as Muzzy Van Hossmere in 1967. She was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for her role.

Channing was a rightfully a Broadway icon and beloved by all. She won several lifetime achievement awards and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981. Her smile remained bright, and she worked well into her 90’s.

Rest In Peace Carol Channing!

Watch video of her below accepting her Tony Award and exceptional performance by the All-Black cast of Hello, Dolly! with Pearl Bailey.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PstnHCc3CF0

 

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Andrew Shade
Andrew Shade
Drew Shade is a visionary creative force at the intersection of Black theatre, media, and culture. As the Founder and Creative Director of Broadway Black, Off-Book: The Podcast, and The Antonyo Awards, he champions artistic excellence and amplifies the voices of Black theatre artists with intention, heart, and unapologetic pride. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Playbill, Deadline, The Observer, and Apple TV’s Dear…, and he's collaborated with brands and institutions such as NBC, BET, Audible, Universal Pictures, SheaMoisture, The Public Theater, Signature Theatre, National Black Theatre, and more. He has also served as a cultural consultant and curator for countless Broadway productions for over a decade — establishing himself as a trusted voice and tastemaker in theatre and media. In addition to his work behind the scenes, Shade is a performer and creative artist in his own right, with credits including Classical Theatre of Harlem’s The First Noel at The Apollo, The Preacher’s Wife musical at The Alliance Theatre, and a Sondheim tribute concert at Carnegie Hall led by Tituss Burgess. He’s also lent his voice to campaigns for Google and continues to explore visual storytelling through photography — from red carpets to press coverage. Rooted in joy, justice, and the belief that Black theatre is both legacy and revolution, Shade continues to build platforms and shine light where it’s long been overdue — so Black artists are seen, heard, and celebrated on their own terms. “Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone’s disbelief.” – August Wilson

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6 COMMENTS

  1. Yeah she was biracial – quarter black. Her dad was apparently mixed-race – black and white, only Carol thought he was just black.

  2. Always enjoyed Carol Channing but let’s be real. She consciously kept her Black ancestry secret in order to have a career and access privilege that would have been denied her if her full ancestry were known. Other white looking entertainers (see Freddie Washington) did NOT pass. MGM initially asked Lena Horne to pass as Latina and refused. Walter White, one of the founders of the NAACP, looked as white as Channing yet did not pass. And to say her Blackness is real when she “sings and dances”? Um, no, that bespeaks a racist trope and expectation. In her time, there was no acceptance of so-called “mixed race” people. She would have been considered Black, with no qualification. Love her regardless but come on…

  5. Always enjoyed Carol Channing but let’s be real. She consciously kept her Black ancestry secret in order to have a career and access privilege that would have been denied her if her full ancestry were known. Other white looking entertainers (see Freddie Washington) did NOT pass. MGM initially asked Lena Horne to pass as Latina and refused. Walter White, one of the founders of the NAACP, looked as white as Channing yet did not pass. And to say her Blackness is real when she “sings and dances”? Um, no, that bespeaks a racist trope and expectation. In her time, there was no acceptance of so-called “mixed race” people. She would have been considered Black, with no qualification. Love her regardless but come on…

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