Prior to the Civil Rights Movement, African American students of dance were not allowed to join classical ballet classes in Philadelphia. Cuyjet, however, with her fair-skinned complexion was able to enroll at the Philadelphia Ballet Company, which did not admit black students at that time, and studied there until her identity was revealed after a performance.
While at the Dorsey school Cuyjet became close with another student, Sydney Gibson King, with whom she opened the Sydney-Marion School of Dance in 1946, which led to the forming of their own schools shortly after.
- "Her teacher, Marion Cuyjet “had red hair, white skin and green eyes and she was as black as you and me..." https://news.library.virginia.edu/…/history-maker-of-the-w…/
- "This was the first black woman to be able to rent space in downtown Philadelphia, because she had green eyes, white skin and red hair." https://mobballet.org/…/sydney-king-and-marion-cuyjet-two-…/
- "As an African-American woman with green eyes, light skin and red hair, Cuyjet used her ability to “pass” to teach young black children who would otherwise be barred from formal instruction." https://www.anisfield-wolf.org/…/judith-jamison-on-persist…/
- "This was the first black woman to be able to rent space in downtown Philadelphia, because she had green eyes, white skin and red hair." https://mobballet.org/…/sydney-king-and-marion-cuyjet-two-…/
- "As an African-American woman with green eyes, light skin and red hair, Cuyjet used her ability to “pass” to teach young black children who would otherwise be barred from formal instruction." https://www.anisfield-wolf.org/…/judith-jamison-on-persist…/
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