Cree Summer: Our Favorite Black Voice
Jayden Pierce
A black woman has voiced everyone’s favorite characters since 1983 and to this day still uses her talents to entertain. Cree Summer born July 7, 1970 has voiced over 400 characters in, video games, cartoons, movies, and has even worked in music. The woman who voiced entire childhoods deserves more respect.
Her career started in 1983 playing Penny on the original cartoon version of Inspector Gadget. Her unique voice made her recognizable in any character she plays. Her voice got her early roles in franchise movies like the first Care Bears movie (1985) and Star Wars spin-off Ewoks (1985). Later being cast as Winifred Brooks in the Cosby Show spin-off from 1988–1993. Continuing her on screen appearances in guest appearances. On Living Single and The Fresh Prince of Bel-air.
Between 1983 and 2006 Summer voiced over 101 animated characters working in memorable tv shows such as Codename: Kids Next Door, Word Girl, Danny Phantom, Rugrats, As Told by Ginger, and even expanding into animated adult shows for her appearances on Robot Chicken.
Summer has a multitude of diverse characters under her voice of different races and genders. Playing several roles at a time making a group of characters come alive on her own. She has a voice that everyone has heard, Summer has voiced numerous characters that have appeared in all forms of animation. A notable character being the Green M&M.
She has also lent her voice to several popular game series, making her voice universal. Summer worked in popular 2010’s games such as Fallout, Final Fantasy, X-Men Legends, and Kid Icarus: Uprising.
And with all of this under the actresses belt, she has earned minimal recognition for her work. The last award she received being in 2004. Cree Summers deserves to be known and respected for the experience she created for so many children.
Resources
CENGAGE. “.” Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. . Encyclopedia.com. 25 Feb. 2021 .” Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia.com, 25 Feb. 2021, www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/summer-cree-1970-cree-summer-francks.
Doctor, Black. “Cree Summer: The Woman with 1,000 Voices: BlackDoctor.org — Where Wellness & Culture Connect.” BlackDoctor.org, Black Doctor, 7 July 2020, blackdoctor.org/cree-summer-being-the-voice-of-the-voice-less/.
Momodu, Samuel. “Cree Summer Francks (1969– ) •.” Blackpast..org, Blackpast.org, 7 Jan. 2021, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/francks-cree-summer-1969/.
Voice Actors, Behind The. “Cree Summer (Visual Voices Guide).” Behind The Voice Actors, Behind The Voice Actors, www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Cree-Summer/.
