How It Feels To Be Free

The inspiring story of how six iconic African American female entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier – challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes, and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.

The musician talks about why she admires Horne so much and how one of her dreams would be to play her. She also explains what she means when she says that she’s “ready to be free.”

Carroll tells the story of when she spoke up in an early makeup session for the TV show “Julia.”

Historian Ruth Feldstein, author of “How It Feels To Be Free,” talks about the important role that entertainers, and women entertainers in particular, had in the civil rights movement. This clip is an interview outtake from the American Masters film of the same name.

Writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe explains why the hair of Black women can be revolutionary, and how Cicely Tyson's decision to wear hers naturally was an inspiration to many other Black women.

In this outtake from "American Masters: How It Feels To Be Free," actress Halle Berry talks about the television show that "rearranged her" and made her realize that she "had value," demonstrating the importance of having role models in media.

Despite the mixed feelings that many Black people have towards the genre of film, producer, actor and writer Lena Waithe says that "if Blaxploitation gives us Pam Grier I'll take it any day."

Cicely Tyson's support for civil rights came through her portrayals of Black womanhood in her film roles. As a result, she was selective in the kind of work she took on and describes here how roles that appealed to her didn't come very often.