Entertainment

Tributes pour in for actress and activist Ruby Dee

By Jessica Derschowitz

Updated on: June 12, 2014 / 3:15 PM EDT / CBS News

Actress and activist Ruby Dee has died at the age of 91

Celebrities and other public figures are paying tribute to actress and civil rights activist Ruby Dee following news of her death at the age of 91.

Spike Lee, who directed Dee in his film "Do the Right Thing," said he was "crushed by this bad news" and called her "a living example that one could be a[n] artist and a[n] activist," while Rev. Al Sharpton praised her as "a jewel of a woman."

Read on to see how they and others are remembering her legacy:

People,I Just Found Out The Loss Of Spiritual Mother,The Late,Great Ruby Dee.I'm Crushed By This Bad… http://t.co/tUQzGt2mCa
— Spike Lee (@SpikeLee) June 12, 2014

Ruby Dee, a legendary actress, artist,, and activist has passed. I knew her and admired her greatly. A jewel of a women.
— Reverend Al Sharpton (@TheRevAl) June 12, 2014

Words cannot express how much Ruby Dee inspired me to be who I am today. I will miss her dearly...
— Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) June 12, 2014

Rest in Peace, Ruby Dee. The brilliant, compassionate, dedicated, fierce & wonderful woman she was is with us always.
— Martha Plimpton (@MarthaPlimpton) June 12, 2014

RIP Ruby Dee, I’m sure you and Ossie are slow dancing in heaven right now 💜 beautiful woman, civil rights leader and amazing actress.
— Amber Patrice Riley (@MsAmberPRiley) June 12, 2014

Rest with the angels and in peace, Ruby Dee.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) June 12, 2014

The kind of beauty I want most is the hard-to-get kind that comes from within - strength, courage, dignity - Ruby Dee pic.twitter.com/q5NruuYT66
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) June 12, 2014

Heaven has gained another icon. My kids: Mom who was Ruby Dee? An actress? Me: She was so… http://t.co/A8UOO6BR6I
— Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) June 12, 2014

RIP Ruby Dee
— Tia Mowry (@TiaMowry) June 12, 2014

I loved her. Ms. Ruby Dee http://t.co/36LplyGwlJ
— Retta (@unfoRETTAble) June 12, 2014

RIP, Ruby Dee—a lifelong NY'er whose mark on the performing arts community & civil rights movement lives on, inspiring us to be better.
— Bill de Blasio (@BilldeBlasio) June 12, 2014

Actress, Activist, Wife, Mother with a heart of gold, Ruby Dee has gone on to meet her love Ozzie Davis in heaven. #RIPRubyDee
— sheryl lee ralph (@thesherylralph) June 12, 2014

Standing on the shoulders of your legend and Forever grateful for ur impact on this world and my life Miss #RubyDee. Rest on High.
— Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) June 12, 2014

#RubyDee "A diminutive, placid beauty w/a sense of persistent social distress and a restless, probing intelligence." http://t.co/vRuvuSud8p
— gwen ifill (@gwenifill) June 12, 2014

Mrs.#RubyDee for all of our lives has ALWAYS been there. Death cannot have her.Our memories will not let her go.RIP pic.twitter.com/3GL5R4ziNX
— Rev Jesse Jackson Sr (@RevJJackson) June 12, 2014

Do yourself a favor: step back to take in #RubyDee in A Raisin in the Sun. #HowItsDone
— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) June 12, 2014

Post by Jada Pinkett Smith.

Post by Rev Run.

Post by Debbie Allen.

Post by Nile Rodgers.

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