Sidney Poitier is one of
the actors of my childhood that I have always respected, so much so in fact
that 2013 I purchased Life Beyond Measure: Letters to My
Great-Granddaughter written by Sidney Poitier. As a man, this man born February 20, 1927,
and deceased on January 6, 2022 had a dramatic impact on life in America, not
just among Afro Americans, but also among all peoples of America. As I write this,
we are approaching Martin Luther King Jr. Day in America. With Mr. Poitier’s recent
death, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to a man who as well had such a
dramatic impact on Civil Rights in this country, for you see, Mr. Poitier wasn’t
just an actor, he was an instrument of change and an example when America
especially needed that example that he so eloquently, much like Jackie
Robertson presented in his life, actions, and impact on their respective
fields.
Sidney Poitier was known for his involvement in the world of movies. He became the first Afro American man to receive an Academy Award for the 1964 for Best Actor for the movie Lilies of the Valley. Hattie McDaniel, a Wichita Kansas Native was the first Afro American to receive an Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind. While she played in some ways a stereotypical character of the time, Mr. Poitier was among the first, and certainly among the most important Afro American actors to bring the perspective of the Afro American in a respectful way during what prior to and during the civil rights era. His roles in films such as Lilies of the Valley, Blackboard Jungle, The Defiant Ones, Porgy and Bess, A Raisin in the Son and even some fun movies but important impact such as Buck and the Preacher and other such powerful films as To Sir with Love, In the Heat of the Night and the all-important, Guess Whose Coming To Dinner, Mr. Poitier and his roles on screen helped change America.
Sidney Poitier was known for his involvement in the world of movies. He became the first Afro American man to receive an Academy Award for the 1964 for Best Actor for the movie Lilies of the Valley. Hattie McDaniel, a Wichita Kansas Native was the first Afro American to receive an Oscar for her role in Gone with the Wind. While she played in some ways a stereotypical character of the time, Mr. Poitier was among the first, and certainly among the most important Afro American actors to bring the perspective of the Afro American in a respectful way during what prior to and during the civil rights era. His roles in films such as Lilies of the Valley, Blackboard Jungle, The Defiant Ones, Porgy and Bess, A Raisin in the Son and even some fun movies but important impact such as Buck and the Preacher and other such powerful films as To Sir with Love, In the Heat of the Night and the all-important, Guess Whose Coming To Dinner, Mr. Poitier and his roles on screen helped change America.
Sidney Poitier’s impact started in the 1940’s while working in stage work and being a founding member of the Committee for the Negro in the Arts, an organization dedicated to presenting an alternative analysis to the current state of class and racial exploitation at the time. This was critical in getting Afro Americans in the arts, in such a way as to have a dramatic impact on America at the time. That struggle in many ways would continue and be a part of Mr. Poitier’s life efforts until his last stages of life. While progress was made over the course of time, he never forgot about his dedication to his people, as he sought and desired for his people to have, and experience the benefits of all Americans not just some Americans.
Over the years we could see others who would work with exploiting the strength of Poitier, individuals such as Wild Bill, William Wellman the director and film maker who won the first Academy Award for Best Picture of the Year with the movie Wings. Mr. Wellman was a white film maker who was innovative in the history of making film by making an effort to show the power of equality of not just African Americans in his movies, but notably women and the poor. There is little doubt of the impact of individuals like Wellman in the belief in himself by Sidney Poitier and others. This only helps to show the importance of being there to support and encourage others in their own talents and beliefs. They are in many ways, if you will, ways that shows others the importance of going after and achieving their dreams, while believing in oneself in the beauty of one’s dreams. It is one of the reasons that Langston Hughes would feature among many others Sidney Poitier in his book Black Magic which focused on the talents of Afro Americans in the arts.
Over the years many have contributed to the concept of having dreams as presented by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Among those who had a dramatic impact were Sidney Poitier. It is with his recent death, and his many contributions which helped break down and destroy the walls of racism and inequality in America that is a worthy concept to remember this holiday. To that, I say, thank you Sidney Poitier for the sacrifices and contributions you made to America through film. You showed that without question, The Big Screen is more than “Hollywood” and that Hollywood if you will, can, and often does, makes a difference in a good way for not just America, but the world.
In the following video we can hear Sidney Poitier early in his career speak on race, Dr. King, and the media.
Reporters Ask Sidney Poitier His Views on Race (1968) - YouTube
Reporters Ask Sidney Poitier His Views on Race (1968) - YouTube
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