Reflections of Esther
Pompano Beach Arts and the Rock Road Restoration Historical Group, Inc. proudly present a new annual exhibition honoring the life and legacy of Esther Rolle, a groundbreaking actress and activist. Born and raised in Pompano Beach, Esther Rolle’s journey from a farmer’s daughter to an Emmy-winning actress is a testament to her talent, resilience, and unwavering dedication to authentic Black representation. This exhibition, opening on her birthday, November 8th, 2024, at the Ali Cultural Arts Center, features artists from across the United States who have created artwork inspired by her remarkable life. The opening reception is free and open to the public, and the exhibition will be on view through January 4, 2025. For more information, visit www.pompanobeacharts.org.
“Each year, we honor this outstanding daughter of Pompano Beach with an inspiring new exhibition that celebrates her remarkable life,” said Ty Tabing, Director of The City of Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department, operating as Pompano Beach Arts. “This event not only showcases her contributions to American culture, but also encourages dialogue about representation and social justice. Join us in celebrating her birthday as we spotlight the powerful artistry inspired by her life.”
Rolle was born in 1920 to Bahamian immigrant parents in Pompano Beach, Florida, the tenth of 18 siblings. She was an actor primarily recognized for her role as principled, spirited Florida Evans, who was first the maid on the Norman Lear sitcom Maude. That character was spun off into the starring role as the mother in the Lear sitcom Good Times (1974-1979). After Good Times, Rolle played Lena onstage and on television (1989) in A Raisin in the Sun, and Bernice in Member of the Wedding (1989). In television, she won an Emmy Award for Summer of My German Soldier in 1979. She won numerous NAACP Image Awards. She had a key role in Maya Angelou’s 1979 memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and in film, she portrayed Aunt Sarah in Rosewood (1977) and Idella in Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Rolle’s final film was Train Ride released in 2000, two years after her death. Rolle had 39 roles in film and television plus many more in theatre.
Devoted to addressing social and political injustice, Rolle delivered a much-praised reading of the proposed 52-word Equal Rights Amendment at the annual conference of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1981. Seven years later, again for NOW, she participated in its summer drive for a stronger black family where she addressed an audience of 90,000 people gathered on the mall in Washington, D.C. Rolle was an honorary member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, an organization of college-educated African American women.
About the City of Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department
The mission of the Cultural Affairs Department, operating as Pompano Beach Arts, is to provide cultural programming that includes visual arts, digital media, music, film, theater, dance, and public art for the enjoyment and enrichment of residents and visitors to Pompano Beach, Broward County, and the greater South Florida area. The department programs and manages the City’s premiere cultural arts venues, including the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Ali Cultural Arts Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, and the Blanche Ely House Museum. The department also oversees the City’s Public Art Program and the Artists in Residence (AiR) initiative.
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