Who was the actress that overcame breast cancer and played a part in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings?
Diahann Carroll Diahann Carroll ( ) (born Carol Diahann Johnson, July 17, 1935) is an American television and stage actress and singer known for her performances in some of the earliest major studio films to feature black casts, including "Carmen Jones" (1954) and "Porgy and Bess" (1959) as well as on Broadway. "Julia" (1968) was one of the first series on American television to star a black woman in a nonstereotypical role and was followed by her portrayal of Dominique Deveraux in the primetime soap opera "Dynasty" over three seasons. She is the recipient of numerous stage and screen nominations and awards, including the Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress In A Television Series" in 1968. A breast cancer survivor and activist, Carroll was scheduled to return to the Broadway stage in the 2014 revival of "A Raisin in the Sun" as Mama, but withdrew prior to opening citing the demands of the rehearsal and performance schedule.
Rosemary Clooney Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 – June 29, 2002) was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the song "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me", "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much", "Hey There" and "This Ole House". She also had success as a jazz vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in 1977, when her "White Christmas" co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She continued recording until her death in 2002.