Portuguese-Brazilian Carmen Miranda, born on this day in 1909, was a singer and actor commonly known for her fruit hat and baiana style. She began her career as a samba singer in Brazil in the 1930s. She moved to the U.S. in 1939 and became famous through her performances in a number of Hollywood movies in the 1940s. The films she appeared in often portrayed Latin American places and people as stereotyped caricatures that mixed together elements from different cultures. This exoticized portrayal was popular among predominantly white U.S. audiences, catapulting her to stardom in the country. In Latin America, however, she was widely criticized for her participation in creating these media. Although she played an important role in popularizing samba, she is also criticized for appropriating and stereotyping Afro-Brazilian fashions and traditions. Nevertheless, Miranda was a Latin American figure whose impact on U.S. culture was profound.
Forever Latin Music Legends: Carmen Miranda single
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- 2011
- Credit line
- Copyright United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
- Medium
- paper; ink
- Dimensions
- Height x Width: 1 5/8 x 1 in. (4.13 x 2.54 cm)
- Type
- Postage Stamps
