During World War II, Bette Davis was the chairman of the Hollywood Victory Committee and she founded the legendary Hollywood Canteen, along with fellow Warner Bros actor John Garfield. The Canteen was free to active servicemen of all ages, and was an escapist’s dream: they could dance with starlets, and get served up food by their favorite Hollywood actors.

Davis reportedly had one controversial stipulation, that the club be integrated.

Bette Davis received intense heat for her decision, but she and Garfield refused to back down and fought for the club to be racially integrated. Their solution was simple: if not, they’d quit. And without stars, there wasn’t a canteen. Davis won, and the Canteen was successfully integrated.