Sinatra: Way Ahead Of His Time On Civil Rights
Also, he hated “My Way”.
Sinatra was decades ahead of his time on social issues such as civil rights.
Citing the anti-Italian discrimination he faced as a poor kid growing up in Hoboken, Sinatra spoke out against racial and ethnic prejudice as early as the 1940s.
He was also known to work with black artists, like Count Basie, Quincy Jones, and, of course, Sammy Davis, Jr., when such partnerships were frowned upon.
In 1945, he made a short film, “The House I Live In,” about the evils of religious discrimination.
“Look, fellas, religion makes no difference,” he tells a group of boys in the film, “Except maybe to a Nazi, or somebody that’s stupid.”
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7 responses to Sinatra: Way Ahead Of His Time On Civil Rights
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Kick Frenzy December 13th, 2015 at 18:32
You tell ’em, ol’ blue eyes!
FatRat December 13th, 2015 at 19:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYihDAhVPko
http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/sammy-davis-jr
Davis was initially denied residence at the Sands Hotel until Sinatra threatened to pull the plug on Rat Pack shows unless Davis got his own suite. Hotel-casino brass acceded to his demands, opening the door for other black performers who had been forced, post-show, to find accommodations in boarding houses and motels in West Las Vegas. – See more at: http://www.onlinenevada.org/articles/sammy-davis-jr#sthash.WTRl2bZ0.dpuf
Suzanne McFly December 13th, 2015 at 20:16
I heard a story a long time ago about Sinatra and Sammy going to do a gig at a club. The staff would not let Sammy go through the front door so Sinatra said okay, if we can’t all walk through the door together none of us are coming through the door. I looked for the story and found thousands, but none of them looked like the one I was looking for. Sinatra was a hell of a man, as was Sammy.
Tommie December 13th, 2015 at 20:57
I remember that, i was going to type the same thing!
Suzanne McFly December 13th, 2015 at 21:48
Copy cat lol.
great minds buddy :)
burqa December 13th, 2015 at 21:55
I heard a tape of Sinatra on stage with Sammy and Dean from the early 60s. Sinatra was cracking one awful “watermelon” – type joke after the other. So it’s a mixed bag.
A lot of times he was ahead of his time on race, but not so much when it came to domestic violence or equality for women.
Great voice, no doubt, but in the end he was still a cheap hood who liked to bully people….
robert December 13th, 2015 at 22:33
Citing the anti-Italian discrimination he faced as a poor kid growing up
in Hoboken, Sinatra spoke out against racial and ethnic prejudice as
early as the 1940s.
————
i remember frank describing Hoboken nj as a ” sewer ” maybe thats why he moved west ?