Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
The historical marker recognizing Newport News’s native daughter Pearl Bailey (1918-1990) will be dedicated Oct. 17 at the marker’s location.
Bailey began performing in nightclubs in the 1930s and appeared on Broadway, in movies, and on television during the course of her five-decade career. Her starring role in “Hello, Dolly!” earned her a special Tony award in 1968. She toured for many years with the USO entertaining American troops, and served as a U.S. representative to the General Assembly of the United Nations during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1988, Bailey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
