Juanita Moore: An Icon
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Filed under Actress
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January 31, 2014
The themes and storyline of Imitation of Life have influenced countless films dealing with race issues over the years. Even in the 2002 film 8 Mile, the story of rapper Eminem, a character can be seen watching a scene between Annie and her daughter.

It was used to bring a parallel to the struggles of racial roles placed on an individual, and how it forces them to play into those roles, whether it was who they really were or not. The film even influenced singers and songwriters. Evidence of the film’s influence can be heard in the song I’m Living in Shame by The Supremes; REM even named a song after the film.


Juanita Moore played the beloved Annie Johnson and Susan Kohner.

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ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Shields is a professor of theatre, director, and actor (Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and Regional).
Research Accomplishments:
The 2017 winner of The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award®, 2017 and 2015 Tony® award nominee for the Excellence in Theatre Education Award, and the winner of the 2017 AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award. In 2020 He was also awarded The Actors Fund / Encore Award
On the web, he is the archivist and historian of Iforcolor.org and Black Theatre/African American Voices [Facebook] (theatre, music, and art). He has taught classes and workshops at SUNY Potsdam, Susquehanna University, Denison University, Randolph-Macon College, Macalester College, The College of Wooster, Ohio University, Wayne State University, and the Joseph Papp Public Theatre (New York Shakespeare Festival).
Education
B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees from Ohio University.