Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee

Ruby Dee (born 1924) and Ossie Davis (1917-2005) first met while performing in the play Jeb in 1946. Although the play flopped, their relationship thrived. Following their marriage in 1948, Dee and Davis gradually build up a reputation in movies, theater, and television as one of American entertainment's most distinguished couples. While experiencing many successes separately, some of their greatest moments were shared, including their stage performances in A Raisin in the Sun and Purlie Victorious, which Davis also wrote and later turned into a hit musical. The long list of their achievements also included the hit movie Cotton Comes to Harlem, which Davis both wrote and directed, and their performances in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing. In 1989, Dee and Davis became inductees into the NAACP's Image Awards Hall of Fame, and in 2004 they received the Kennedy Center Honors award.