FBG Spotlight: Anika Noni Rose: From Dreamgirl to Princess

Even though Anika Noni Rose has been in the business for over 10 years now, we were first introduced to this Fabulous Brown Girl when she played Lavelle Robinson on the the movies Dreamgirls, starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce' Knowles, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Foxx.

Even though she was the least known of the cast, she has now formed her own path to greatness by making history by providing the voice and giving life to the first black Disney Princess.

Rose, born in1972 in Bloomfield, CT, has captured the hearts of so many people, young and old who treasure Disney and the magic the films bring us. She is a Broadway superstar with an amazing voice.


Many of us FBGs never really thought or expected to see ourselves as a Disney Princess. But now that it is here we now wonder what took them so long? I understand it be better late than never, but still almost every other ethnicity from Middle Eastern to Native American had a princess... why just now for us...? Did it take us having a Black President to have a Black Disney Princess.. Even though I know that is not the case because it takes years to development Disney movies, it still can not help to leave one unsettled about it all.


Nevertheless, Rose was honored and is on the cover of this month's Essence magazine and talked with them about her history making role and what she is doing now.

Here is a snippet of the interview:

ESSENCE.com: How did you feel when you saw Tiana on the big screen for the first time?
ROSE: When I saw Tiana, with my expression on her face, in color, standing in the moonlight, surrounded by sparkles--I was truly undone! I've been crying for a year-- seriously.

ESSENCE.com: What does it mean to you to be making history?
ROSE: The largesse of it all didn't hit me [in the beginning], but when they unveiled the doll to me, I remember thinking, "There's a doll, based on me and the work I've done, that's going to be here for these little girls--and she's glamorous." This movie is showing the world a different picture of Black America, which is phenomenal. It's just phenomenal.

Read more: http://www.essence.com/entertainment/film/the_princess_diary.php#ixzz0aXjf9pFn

Here is the some footage of her behind the scenes

Moorland-Spingarn: Is Black History an Endangered Species?

Today, many avid respectors of African American history learned that Moorland-Spingarn Reasearch Center is in Danger of closing its doors due to budget contstraints.

Even though Moorland-Spingarn is a premiere research institution for the African Diaspora, many Howard students do not even know the center still exists for them to learn important facts about their history from primary resources. The under-utilization is a major reason for the layoffs and unfilled vacancies.

Each year the budget is smaller and smaller and unless something is done the doors of our rich history could be put away.

According to TheRoot.com, the 95 year old research center, has imperative vacancies that need to be filled such as Director, Chief Librarian, Prints and P

hoto Librarian, and Chief Administrator. The Center normally employs 50 employees to maintain all of these African American records and documentations.

We need to see what we can do to save this historical landmark that houses so much information about who we are and our journey.

To read the full article on what is taking place at Moorland Spingarn CLICK HERE