Ballet, originating in 15th-century European courts, became predominantly white in the United States, leading to a historical underrepresentation of Black women. Pervasive Jim Crow laws and segregation until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 meant aspiring Black dancers like Janet Collins, who became the first African American prima ballerina, and Raven Wilkinson faced outright denial or demands to perform in "whiteface" with major companies like Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. This exclusion spurred the establishment of crucial Black ballet institutions, including Ella Gordan's School of Dance (1919) and Katherine Dunham's co-founding of Ballet Négre (1931), providing essential training and performance platforms. Today, while progress continues, companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theater of Harlem, alongside initiatives such as American Ballet Theatre's Project Plié, are actively working to increase diversity and broaden access for dancers of color in the ballet world.