'He stays': Betty White refused to remove Black dancer from her show in 1954

[Floyd R. Turbo]

In a time where segregation was at the forefront of American issues, Betty White rejected attempts to keep a Black dancer off her show.  

The dancer, Arthur Duncan, was featured on “The Betty White Show” that aired in the 1950s. When she was encouraged to take him off because of the color of his skin, she politely declined.  

"I'm sorry, but, you know, he stays," White said, according to a PBS biography. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/01/01/betty-white-black-dancer-arthur-duncan/9067252002/

[Nittersing]

1. And Don Cheadle shared this:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

betty was the best of the best. when we were shooting scenes together it was difficult for the DP to get the lighting right between my chocolate and betty's white! she was either a ghost or i was the shadow. i came on set one day and betty had darkened her make up/hair a bit in

an attempt to accommodate for it. nobody asked her to do it. and that's just one small example of her overflowing generosity. my dogs thank her too. she gave us our veterinarian reco who we still see to this day. she was the goldenest of them all and will be forever missed.💔

[Floyd R. Turbo]

2. 👍🏻