Married to actor Paul Robeson, with whom she acted in at least 1 movie.
Received a bachelor's degree from University of Illinois and was attending Columbia to pursue a medical degree when she fell in love with Paul Robeson.
From a long line of slave families but her paternal great-grandfather was a Sephardic Jew whose family had been expelled from Spain in a 17th century upheaval.
Died two days before her 70th birthday from cancer.