Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), born with the name Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was an African-American singer-songwriter, musician, and civil rights activist. She changed her name to avoid being noticed by her family while performing at nightclubs in Atlantic City. In her youth she hoped to become a concert pianist, but was denied entry to the Curtis Institute of Music; it is generally believed that racist practices barred her from enrolling. After releasing her first hit single in 1958, she performed an astonishing range of music genres including classical music, rhythm and blues, gospel, pop, folk, and jazz. A few days before her death in 2003, the Curtis Institute awarded her an honorary degree.
