Black actress and Minneapolis native Hilda Simms was a rising star on stage and screen in post-WWII America. Nonetheless, accusations of un-Americanism and communist sympathies eventually derailed her profession.

“I used to be looking for a subject, and Hilda’s name got here up, and I just found her so interesting,” recalled Jokeda “JoJo” Bell, executive director and director of exhibitions and programming for the African American Interpretive Center of Minnesota (AAICM). The organization has done collaborative programming with institutions just like the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota Museum of American Art. 

“Around 2018 or so, I used to be planning a presentation—I desired to do a presentation on someone who people didn’t know, an individual of color, a Black woman, preferably from Minnesota that individuals didn’t know,” she stressed.

Her curiosity eventually led to her recent book, “Red Stained: The Lifetime of Hilda Simms” (Minnesota Historical Society Press).

Simms (1920-1994) was born in Minneapolis and graduated from South High School. She studied at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), then moved to Recent York City to pursue an acting profession. She joined the American Negro Theater in Harlem in 1943 and won the title role of “Anna Lucasta,” which also appeared on Broadway and revamped 950 performances.

“She acted opposite people like Sidney Poitier. Ossie Davis knew her. People knew her for her acting and for her activism,” explained Bell of Simms during an MSR phone interview.

Nonetheless, as Simms struggled to secure meaningful roles, she usually spoke out about civil rights issues. Her comments on the Soviet Union’s anti-racist policies drew the eye of the U.S. Department of Justice. Because of this, her passport was revoked, which canceled her plans to perform for American troops stationed in Europe.

Eventually, Simms was blacklisted from Hollywood.

“Red Stained” is “the primary full biography of her life and profession. It examines Simms’s rise to fame, her drive to be a respected dramatic actress, and her efforts to create equal opportunities for people of color on stage, on the screen, and behind the camera,” noted an MNHS news release on Bell’s book that was released September 17.

As such, Black actors and actresses resembling Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Paul Robeson, and Hazel Scott, amongst others, were blacklisted through the “Red Scare,” but eventually, their careers were resuscitated; Simms’ profession sadly never was, Bell stressed.

“She was a component of that with a lot of people,” added the creator. “I speak about that within the book — being labeled a communist or communist sympathizer.   That is an opinionated woman … she might have been labeled as difficult. That’s all the time type of code” for Black people, especially Black females, she noted.

Simms later became the creative arts director of the Recent York State human rights division, where, during her stint there within the Nineteen Sixties, she brought discrimination against Black actors to the general public’s attention. She also played a Black neurologist in “The Nurses” from 1962 to 1964 and had earlier movie roles in “The Joe Louis Story” and “Black Widow.”

Simms died in 1994 at age 86.

“A handful of articles [about her] but there was no biography. There’s a Wikipedia page written about her,” but Simms’ story has largely been untold, said Bell, who successfully brought her story to life.

“I feel quite a lot of our stories, especially Black Minnesotans, we don’t know,” continued the creator. “That’s very true for Hilda; she’s very Minnesotan. She was born here. She didn’t leave until after her adolescence, and she or he became a component of this movement that was very essential.

“I feel the primary chapter is type of like a love letter to Minnesota, just showing that here’s this local woman; nonetheless, she was very influential in breaking down barriers in Hollywood within the ’50s and ’60s,” said Bell.

Finally, there’s more to inform about Simms, her life, and struggles being blacklisted, said the creator.

“Within the research for this book,” said Bell, “I discovered that the FBI had been monitoring her and truly had files on her. Once I began the research, I asked the National Archives to offer me those documents, but they hadn’t been redacted yet. So, I feel the subsequent book or next article or anything like that I would love to, or another authors wish to continue to learn about her, how did this affect her or how the Black actors were affected,” she concluded.

A book signing event for Red Stained will probably be held at Strive Bookstore, 901 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, on Sept. 21 from 1 to three p.m.