Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1918 March 29 | Born in Newport News, Virginia, to Reverend Joseph James Bailey and Ella May Ricks Bailey |
| circa 1933 | Entered and won first her amateur night contest at the Pearl Theatre in Philadelphia |
| 1946 | Made Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman |
| 1947-1948 | Appeared in movies Variety Girl and Isn't It Romantic? |
| 1948 August 31 | Married Army Air Force Captain John Randolph Pinkett (1914 April 3-1966 June 13) in Clark, Nevada (divorced 1952 April 3) |
| 1950 February 2-May 27 | Appeared on Broadway in Arms and the Girl |
| 1950 December 13-1951 February 24 | Appeared on Broadway in Bless You All |
| 1952 November 19 | Married drummer Louie Bellson (1924 July 6-2009 February 14) in London |
| 1954 December 30 | Opened in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical House of Flowers |
| 1955 July | Adopted son Anthony Paul "Tony" Bellson (1954 February 20-2005 May 27) |
| 1955-1959 | Appeared in movies Carmen Jones, That Certain Feeling, St. Louis Blues, and Porgy and Bess |
| 1960 | Adopted daughter Dee Dee Jean Bellson (1960 April 20-2009 July 4) Appeared in the film All the Fine Young Cannibals |
| 1967 November 12-1969 December 20 | Played Dolly Gallagher Levi in the all-black production of Hello, Dolly! |
| 1968 | Received Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Performance with Cab Calloway for their work in Hello, Dolly! Received special Tony Award for Hello, Dolly! |
| 1968-1976 | Wrote Raw Pearl; Talking To Myself; Pearl's Kitchen; Hurry Up, America, and Spit; and the children's book Duey's Tale |
| 1970 | Appeared in film The Landlord |
| 1971 January-May | Hosted the Pearl Bailey Show television program on ABC |
| 1975 November 6-December 21 | Played Dolly Gallagher Levi in Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! |
| 1975-1976 | Served as member of U.S. United Nations delegation; appointed by President Gerald Ford |
| 1976 | Appeared in film Norman…Is That You? Received the Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award |
| 1977 May 12 | Awarded honorary degree by Georgetown University |
| 1978 January-1985 May | Attended Georgetown University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology |
| 1983-1989 | Awarded honorary degrees by Arizona State University, Howard University, Seton Hall University, Syracuse University, Thomas A. Edison State College, and the University of South Carolina |
| 1987-1989 | Served as member of U.S. United Nations delegation; appointed by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush |
| 1988 | Received Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Reagan |
| 1988 August | USO tour to the Middle East, including on the USS Carl Vinson |
| 1989 | Wrote Between You and Me |
| 1990 August 17 | Died in Philadelphia |