Nina Mae McKinney, born Nannie Mayme McKinney in 1913 in Lancaster, South Carolina, was a talented actress, singer, and dancer who made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She was known as the seductress "Chick" from the 1929 film Hallelujah, the first all-black, all-sound musical.
McKinney's early life was marked by her parents' move from Lancaster to New York City, where she was left with her great-aunt, Carrie Sanders. She began performing at a young age, riding stunts and appearing in plays at the Lancaster Industrial School.
At 13, McKinney headed to New York to live with her mother, Georgia Crawford McKinney, and began her career as a chorus girl in the Broadway play "Blackbirds". Her performance caught the attention of MGM producer/director King Vidor, who gave her a starring role in Hallelujah.
McKinney was signed to a five-year contract with MGM, but during this period she made only two films, Safe in Hell and Reckless, in which she dubbed Jean Harlow's songs. Hollywood was unwilling to cast her in leading roles, and instead relegated her to character roles or used her as a voice double.
Despite this, McKinney had more success on stage, playing Jeanne Eagels' role in "Rain" at Harlem's Apollo Theatre. She proved her talent and beauty, but realized that the doors to real success were permanently barred to her in Hollywood.
McKinney left the U.S. for Europe, where she made film and stage appearances all over the Continent. She became known as "The Black Garbo" and continued to perform until the outbreak of World War II.
After the war, McKinney returned to New York, where she married jazz musician Jimmy Monroe and formed a band. She toured the country and eventually settled in Athens, Greece, where she was known as the "Queen of Night Life".
In the late 1960s, McKinney returned to New York, but did not perform again. She died in 1967 at the age of 54 from a heart attack, and her death went largely unnoticed. However, in her hometown of Lancaster, South Carolina, a mural featuring her portrait stands alongside that of former President Andrew Jackson, a testament to her enduring legacy.
