RECAP: Leslie Uggams Talked About Her Involvement with the NAACP and Michael James Leslie Sang We Shall Overcome on STARS IN THE HOUSE

Stars in The House continued this afternoon (2pm) for June is bustin' out all over with Leslie Uggams and guest Michael James Leslie. This episode is in support of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Leslie Uggams talked about her early career at the Apollo Theatre. "When I started playing the Apollo, all these great people that I worked with, I was smart enough at that young age to stand in the wings and watch every single performance that they did to learn my craft. That's the best school I could have ever gone to at the Apollo Theatre...I played the Apollo from nine to sixteen years old. I was there Christmas time and summertime."

Seth asked, "How have you been able to balance your career while pursuing social activism?"

Leslie responded, "I became a lifelong member of the NAACP when I was six. It meant a lot to my family because in my neighborhood we were the 'have nots' in my neighborhood...we see what's happening today but it's been happening a long long time. I was kind of the black Shirley Temple in my neighborhood. I was supportive, they were supportive of me. They loved that I played the Apollo...Black people couldn't even shop at the department store...on 125th street. You couldn't go into Woolworths if you were black. There was a restaurant called Franks that black people couldn't go to and my mother and I were the first to go into that restaurant and have a meal...In my career, I've been able to break barriers with so many things because that didn't happen before. How many times did you have a black leading lady on Broadway? That was big too."

Later, Michael James Leslie came on the show and talked about Leslie's video of her singing "June is Bustin' Out All Over." Michael sang "We Shall Overcome."

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