Rex Ingram
Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Dean of American black actors. A Corsicana native, Rex (Clifford) Ingram was the son of Mack and Mamie Ingram. He graduated from Northwestern University before launching his brilliant acting career, which spanned 50 years. Ingram made his screen debut during the era of silent movies in a 1918 "Tarzan" film. He won widespread acclaim for his famous portrayal of "De Lawd" in the 1936 film "Green Pastures." Ingram also appeared on the Broadway stage and in several television productions, bringing his skill and dignity to every performance. He died and was buried in California. (1976)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Corsicana native Rex Ingram rose from a Texas boyhood to become one of the most respected Black actors of his era, with a career that spanned half a century. A Northwestern University graduate, he made his screen debut in a 1918 silent Tarzan film and won lasting acclaim as "De Lawd" in the 1936 film Green Pastures. On stage, screen, and television he brought a rare skill and dignity to every role.
Why it matters
Ingram broke ground for Black performers in an American film industry that offered them few dignified roles, insisting on presence and gravity where Hollywood expected caricature.
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