Katherine Dunham

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

A humanitarian Diva, was the creator of the Dunham style dance and founder of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company in the early 1930's. 

She was "the matriarch and queen mother" of Black American Dance and an engaged anthropologist, dancer, choreographer, educator, writer, social activist. At the age of 82 she went on a 47 day hunger strike to protest the US's forced repatriation of Haitian refugees in the early 90's.