February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003
Nina Simone was a renowned musician, with works like Mississippi Goddamn and To Be Young Gifted and Black.
Born in North Carolina, she moved to New Jersey and gave herself the stage name Nina Simone. She started out at local night club, playing piano and singing. She played primarily pop and jazz music for money, but her heart set on classical music. So, she got her education from Vladimir Sokoloff, a professor at Curtis Institute of Philadelphia.
Nina Simone’s first album Little Girl Blues was an instant success. While she sang to a primarily white audience, her music often included civil rights activism and empowerment of black women. These include songs like Why?, Four Women, and I Put a Spell On You.
Nina Simone had a daughter, Lisa Simone. She has a successful career in music and stage.