| Summary: | Choreographer and dancer Ruth Beckford was born on December 7, 1925 in Oakland, California. She began dancing at age three. In 1943, Beckford toured with the legendary Katherine Dunham; and, in 1947, she founded the first recreational modern dance department in the United States at the Oakland Department of Parks and Recreation. Beckford opened the Ruth Beckford African-Haitian Dance Company in 1953. She closed her dance studio in 1975, but continues to perform. She co-wrote, produced and starred in 'Tis the Morning of My Life, an off-Broadway success. She played major television and film roles, appearing in Angels in the Outfield, The Principal and Midnight Caller. She counseled homeless people at the Berkeley office of the Department of Social Services between 1990 and 1997, then became a life skills counselor at the Oakland Private Industry Council. She wrote several books, including Still Groovin': Affirmations for Women in the Second Half of Life.
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