Judy's Lasting Impact
Judy Garland rose to fame for her prized performance as Dorothy Gale in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Judy went on to earn herself a Juvenile Award at the Oscars, going on to star in classics such as Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), Ziegfeld Follies (1945) and A Star Is Born (1954)
Dorothy’s Stolen Ruby Slippers
One of the four remaining pairs of ruby slippers that were used in the filming of “The Wizard of Oz”, filmed in 1939, were loaned and temporarily housed at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids Minnesota. In August of 2005, the ruby slippers were tragically stolen from the museum. Over the years, there have been numerous tips from not only the local community but from all over the country as to where the slippers may be, all of which didn’t check out. Nearly a decade and half later, in 2018, the Grand Rapids Police Department received a tip that led them to the stolen ruby slippers. There was a sting operation in Minneapolis and the slippers were recovered. As of 2022, the ruby slippers are still in FBI procession. No official conclusion has been made on the final destiny of this pair of ruby slippers. What a fairytale ending to have the Ruby Slippers return to Judy Garland’s birthplace hometown of Grand Rapids Minnesota.
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Judy Garlands Impact on Gay Rights
Judy Garland is widely considered an LGBTQ+ Icon; her ability to perform was widely admired by this community for decades. Many LGBTQ+ individuals connected with Dorothy as her eventful journey from Kansas to The Land of Oz represented their desire to escape the constraints of society, allowing them to escape to a bright and colorful place, where no judgement is present.