Black actress and Minneapolis native Hilda Simms was a rising star on stage and screen in post-WWII America. However, accusations of un-Americanism and communist sympathies eventually derailed her career.
“I was searching for a subject, and Hilda’s name came up, and I just found her so interesting,” recalled Jokeda “JoJo” Bell, executive director and director of exhibitions and programming for the African American Interpretive Center of Minnesota (AAICM). The organization has done collaborative programming with institutions like the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
“Around 2018 or so, I was planning a presentation—I wanted to do a presentation on someone who people didn’t know, a person of color, a Black woman, preferably from Minnesota that people didn’t know,” she stressed.
Her curiosity eventually led to her new book, “Red Stained: The Life of Hilda Simms” (Minnesota Historical Society Press).
Simms (1920-1994) was born in Minneapolis and graduated from South High School. She studied at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), then moved to New York City to pursue an acting career. She joined the American Negro Theater in Harlem in 1943 and won the title role of “Anna Lucasta,” which also appeared on Broadway and made over 950 performances.
“She acted opposite people like Sidney Poitier. Ossie Davis knew her. People knew her for her acting and for her activism,” explained Bell of Simms during an MSR phone interview.
However, as Simms struggled to secure meaningful roles, she regularly spoke out about civil rights issues. Her comments on the Soviet Union’s anti-racist policies drew the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice. As a result, her passport was revoked, which canceled her plans to perform for American troops stationed in Europe.
Eventually, Simms was blacklisted from Hollywood.
“Red Stained” is “the first full biography of her life and career. It examines Simms’s rise to fame, her drive to be a respected dramatic actress, and her efforts to create equal opportunities for people of color on stage, on the screen, and behind the camera,” noted an MNHS news release on Bell’s book that was released September 17.
As such, Black actors and actresses such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Paul Robeson, and Hazel Scott, among others, were blacklisted during the “Red Scare,” but eventually, their careers were resuscitated; Simms’ career sadly never was, Bell stressed.
“She was a part of that with a number of people,” added the author. “I talk about that in the book — being labeled a communist or communist sympathizer. This is an opinionated woman … she could have been labeled as difficult. That’s always kind of code” for Black people, especially Black females, she noted.
Simms later became the creative arts director of the New York State human rights division, where, during her stint there in the 1960s, she brought discrimination against Black actors to the public’s attention. She also played a Black neurologist in “The Nurses” from 1962 to 1964 and had earlier movie roles in “The Joe Louis Story” and “Black Widow.”
Simms died in 1994 at age 86.
“A handful of articles [about her] but there was no biography. There’s a Wikipedia page written about her,” but Simms’ story has largely been untold, said Bell, who successfully brought her story to life.
“I think a lot of our stories, especially Black Minnesotans, we don’t know,” continued the author. “That’s very true for Hilda; she’s very Minnesotan. She was born here. She didn’t leave until after her formative years, and she became a part of this movement that was very important.
“I think the first chapter is kind of like a love letter to Minnesota, just showing that here’s this local woman; however, she was very influential in breaking down barriers in Hollywood in the ’50s and ’60s,” said Bell.
Finally, there’s more to tell about Simms, her life, and struggles being blacklisted, said the author.
“In the research for this book,” said Bell, “I found out that the FBI had been monitoring her and actually had files on her. When I started the research, I asked the National Archives to give me those documents, but they hadn’t been redacted yet. So, I think the next book or next article or anything like that I would like to, or any other authors want to keep learning about her, how did this affect her or how the Black actors were affected,” she concluded.
A book signing event for Red Stained will be held at Strive Bookstore, 901 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, on Sept. 21 from 1 to 3 p.m.