Legendary actress, activist and writer Ruby Dee passed away Wednesday at the age of 91. Her career spanned nearly seven decades and made a significant impact, especially in black film and theater. And a lifetime chock-full of rich experiences qualified her to deliver advice that we can all live by.ย
Suggested Reading
1. On Courage
โThe greatest gift is not being afraid to question.โ โRuby Dee
2. On the Beauty Within
โThe kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within: strength, courage, dignity.โ โRuby Dee
3. On Overcoming Fear
โGod, make me so uncomfortable that I will do the very thing I fear.โ โRuby Dee
4. On Inequality
โClassism and greed are making insignificant all the other kinds of isms.โ โRuby Dee
5. On Youth
โThatโs what being young is all about. You have the courage and the daring to think that you can make a difference. Youโre not prone to measure your energies in time. Youโre not likely to live by equations.โ โRuby Dee
6. On Long-Lasting Love
โIf it is possible to learn to love somebody more than when you first married them, I am lucky enough to say that we did.โ โRuby Deeย on life with her husband, Ossie Davis
7. On Doing Work That You Love
โI really donโt believe in retiring as long as you can breathe.โย โRuby Dee
Diamond Sharp is an editorial fellow at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.
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