Madame Sul-Te-Wan

About

As the first African American actress to have a film contract, she had leading and supporting roles in numerous Hollywood productions.

Before Fame

After staring out on stage in the east coast, she moved to Hollywood to portray numerous stereotypical roles, including slaves, mammies, and wild natives.

Trivia

Of all her roles, easily the most controversial one occurred in director DW Griffith's racist masterpiece Birth of a Nation.

Family Life

She was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of freed slaves.

Associated With

One of her first screen roles was alongside the young Lillian Gish in the drama Stage Struck.