Lynn Hamilton Papers, 1952-2004

Lynn Hamilton was an African American actress. She was born on April 25, 1930 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. She pursued dramatic training at the Goodman Theatre, a division of Chicago's Art Institute. She acted on the stage in New York and performed with Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park. In the early 60s she was selected to participate in President Kennedy's first cultural exchange program in drama. She went on a world tour with the American Repertory Theatre doing plays in Europe, the Near East, and Central and South America. In 1966, she married writer/poet/model Frank S. Jenkins. Hamilton relocated to Los Angeles where she pursued a screen acting career. Hamilton played a recurring role as Virdie Grant, a neighbor of "The Waltons," and starred in a widely praised motion picture for television titled "A Dream for Christmas." She guest starred in many television series including "Sanford and Son," "The Rockford Files," "Starsky and Hutch," "Ironside," "The Practice," "Highway to Heaven," and "Gunsmoke." She also appeared in feature films, most notably "Lady Sings the Blues," "Roots II," "Elvis and Me" and "Leadbelly."