African-American stage, film, and TV luminary Ruby Dee was born Ruby Ann Wallace October 27, 1924 in Cleveland, Ohio. The daughter of a Pullman-porter father and schoolteacher mother, Dee grew up during the golden age of Harlem. After high school she attended New York's Hunter College, graduating in 1945. Expressive and literate, Dee was drawn to the theatre while still a college student. Dee acted in small Shakespearian productions and landed a role in the play, "South Pacific" in 1943. She also began to study with the American Negro Theatre, where she would meet her future husband Ossie Davis. They would fall in love during a cross-country tour of "Anna Lucasta."

Ruby Dee's career as an actress has been nothing short of phenomenal. A petite, intelligent actress of nuance and sensitivity, she was talented enough and lucky enough to garner some of the best roles for black women in the 1950s and 1960s. On stage, she was the first black woman to play lead roles at the American Shakespeare Festival, and won an Obie Award for her portrayal of "Lena" in Athol Fugard's "Boseman and Lena"; a Drama Desk Award for her role in Alice Childress' "Wedding Band" and an Ace Award for her performance in Eugene O'Neil's "Long Day’s Journey Into Night."

Dee's career in acting has crossed all major forms of media over a span of eight decades. In 1950, she played Jackie Robinson's wife in "The Jackie Robinson Story" and 40 years later, she played his mother in the television production, "The Court Martial of Jackie Robinson." Her film credits include "A Raisin in the Sun," in which she recreated her stage role as a suffering housewife in the projects, and "Edge of the City." She played both roles opposite Sidney Poitier. During the 1960s, Dee appeared in such politically charged films as "Gone Are the Days" and "The Incident," which is recognized as helping pave the way for young African-American actors and filmmakers. Other films include: "Uptight" (1968), "Buck And The Preacher"(1972), "Roots" (1978), "Do The Right Thing" (1989) and "The Delany Sisters: The First Hundred Years" (1999).

Dee has been nominated for eight Emmy Awards, winning once for her role in the 1990 TV film "Decoration Day." She was also nominated for her television guest appearance in the "China Beach" episode, "Skylark." Her late husband Ossie Davis (1917-2005) also appeared in that episode.

Dee's life has not all been acting, however. She is a survivor of breast cancer for more than thirty years, and has long been active in a variety of movements. Issues of equality and civil rights have long been a concern of Dee's. In 1953 she became well-known for denouncing the U.S. government's decision to execute Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for wartime spying. This experience helped Dee realize that racism and discrimination were not exclusively black experiences.

Dee has been a long time supporter of the NAACP and together with her husband; they were involved in and supported several other civil rights protests and causes, including Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 March on Washington.

Jointly presented with The Academy of Television Arts and Science's Silver Circle Award in 1994, Dee and Davis officially became "national treasures" when they received the National Medal of Arts in 1995. In 2000, they were presented the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award. They are inductees in the NAACP Theater Hall of Fame as well as the NAACP Hall of Fame.

Dee is an author, storyteller and recording artist as well as an actor. Her published works include the humorous, "My One Good Nerve" and various recordings for young people. In 1998 Dee and Davis co-wrote the autobiographical book, "With Ossie and Ruby: InThis Life Together."

Dee has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2007 for her portrayal of Mama Lucas in "American Gangster." She won the SAG award for the same performance.