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November 5
She was born in Weimar, TX, the daughter of Freeman (a Methodist minister) and Ida Norman Moten. During her senior year at the University of Kansas, Moten was discovered while singing in a recital, and she was invited to join the prestigious Eva Jessy Choir in New York, which she promptly did after graduation. She was married in the 1920s, and divorced six years later. She went on to achieve stardom in the theater, performing in legendary Broadway productions of "Sugar Hill," "Lysistrata," and "Porgy and Bess," joining the ranks of African-America's most elite talent, including Sidney Poitier, Cab Calloway, and Maya Angelou. Moten became the first African-American stage and screen star to sing and perform at the White House on January 31, 1933, invited by President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1934, Moten married Claude Barnett, founder of the Negro Associated Press. Together they enjoyed a special bond, traveling during the late 1950s as members of U.S. delegation to Ghana. Etta also represented the U.S. at the independent ceremonies of Nigeria, Zambia, and Lusaka. After her husband's death in 1967, Moten Barnett became more active in domestic affairs, including working with the Chicago's DuSable Museum and the Lyric Opera. Her many distinctions include honorary degrees from Spelman College, Lincoln University, and the University of Illinois; an award for her Contributions to American Music by Atlanta University, and the establishment of a scholarship in her name for minority students at the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. A long time resident of Chicago, she died on Jan. 3, 2004. Reference: Etta Barnett
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