In 1932, Janet Collins, one of the best ballerinas in the US, was accepted into the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under one condition – that she perform in whiteface. She declined the offer, and went on to become the first black artist to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
Her story is the subject of a Kickstarter campaign started by the Sweet Blackberry organization, which works to share the stories about lesser-known African American pioneers. Chris Rock has signed on to narrate an animated 20-minute feature about Collins, envisioned by Karyn Parsons, also known as Hilary Banks from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
Parsons created Sweet Blackberry to share stories like that of Collins, and to increase awareness about the contributions African Americans have made to US history.
“This history belongs to all of us; it’s everybody’s history,” Parsons told the Guardian. “It’s not right for it to be this little boutique history over here, or to just be relegated to a very short month [February's Black History month].”
The Collins campaign is supported by other stars of the sitcom in which Parsons made her name – Joseph Marcell (Geoffrey), Alfonso Ribeiro (Carlton), Tatyana Ali (Ashley) and Will Smith, the Fresh Prince himself. All have pitched in to help in various ways, including by getting together for what amounts to the first public reunion since the show’s 1996 finale.
The show remains one of relatively few US broadcast series to focus on a black family.
Parsons' mother, a former research librarian in Los Angeles, having told her about African American pioneers who are relatively unknown to this day. Parsons' said that US students were familiar with Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, but history textbooks were dominated by white males.
“The message that ends up being sent is that every now and then a black person comes along and does something,” Parsons said.
In an effort to supplement her own children’s education, Parsons sought to share the stories she learned growing up. She launched Sweet Blackberry in 2005 with a film about Henry Box Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom in a wooden box. A second film was narrated by Coretta Scott King and featured the story of Garrett Morgan, the son of two former slaves who became an influential inventor.
“I think [the] story for children, for black children, and for all children, is that sometimes incredible obstacles are actually opportunities for greatness,” Parsons said. “Because of the history of our country, a lot of the African Americans who achieved these things had to overcome incredible obstacles and there’s so much to learn from it.”
She discovered Collins when reading the dancer’s obituary and was immediately impressed that at the age of 15, Collins had been willing to turn down an estimable position like that offered by the Ballet Russe.
The project has received support from the Metropolitan Opera House, Alvin Ailey’s dance studio and prima ballerina Misty Copeland. Fresh Prince-themed rewards on the Kickstarter site include custom voicemails recorded by cast members and tickets to an exclusive Fresh Prince screening at which at least three members of the cast will be present.
Parsons said her relationship with the cast was similar to that of a family.
“We played house for six years together and you start to believe it,” she said. “On top of that, we went through something life-changing together and we will always have that bond.”
