TULSA, Okla. (KFOR) – On this day in 1952, Oklahoma’s most successful African American actress was born.

Alfre Woodard.
Alfre Woodard. Image courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society.

According to the Oklahoma Historical Society, Alfre Woodard was born on Nov. 8, 1952, in Tulsa and later studied at Boston University’s School of Fine Arts.

Her on-screen career began in 1978 where she eventually worked in traditional Hollywood films and made-for-television movies.

OHS says Woodard became one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood and even won several awards like a Golden Globe, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, four Emmy Awards and eight NAACP Image Awards. She also received nominations for an Academy Award and a Grammy Award.

To learn more about Alfre Woodard, visit okhistory.org.