Thelma McQueen, a talented dancer and actress, began her educational journey in Augusta, Georgia, attending public school before graduating from high school in Long Island, New York. She furthered her dance training with renowned instructors Katherine Dunham, Geoffrey Holder, and Janet Collins.
McQueen's dance career was marked by her performances with the Venezuela Jones Negro Youth Group, and she gained her stage name "Butterfly" from her captivating dance style, particularly in the "Butterfly Ballet" from the 1935 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Her stage debut was in "Brown Sugar", directed by George Abbott, for whom she went on to perform in several other stage shows.
In 1939, McQueen made her film debut in "The Women" and gained widespread recognition for her role as Prissy in "Gone with the Wind" ("Oh, Miss Scarlett, I don't know nuthin' 'bout birthin' babies"). She continued to appear in various films, including "Flame of Barbary Coast" and "Mildred Pierce", before becoming a regular on the radio show "Beulah" from 1947 to 1951 and its TV adaptation from 1950 to 1952.
In her later years, McQueen faced a challenging experience when a Greyhound Bus Lines guard mistook her for a pickpocket and handled her roughly, resulting in several cracked ribs. She sued for assault and was awarded $60,000 after several years of litigation. McQueen chose to live modestly on the compensation and retired to a small town outside Augusta, Georgia, where she lived anonymously in a one-bedroom cottage.
Tragically, McQueen's life was cut short in a fire that broke out in her home on December 22, 1995. She was found lying on the sidewalk outside with severe burns covering over 70 percent of her body. The fire, which was caused by a kerosene heater, destroyed her cottage, and McQueen was taken to Augusta Regional Medical Center, where she passed away at the age of 84.
