Lincoln Perry
Lincoln Andrew Perry – First African American movie star (1927)
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In 1927, Lincoln Perry played the role of Stepin Fetchit in “The Laziest Man in the World” in both film and stage making him the most popular and renowned African actor of his time. Later, he will be known as the first African-American movie star to gain recognition in America. Lincoln became a millionaire through acting. His breakthrough was in the silent movie In Old Kentucky creating the Stepin character by himself in order to stand out. After enjoying great success for a few years by 1933, Lincoln’s popularity and success began to decline due to the fact that he was seen as an embarrassment that portrayed negative stereotypes of the African American identity. He was born on May 30, 1902, and died at the age of 83 from Pneumonia and heart failure on November 19, 1985, a few years after suffering from a severe stroke in 1976.
