Sidney Poitier 1927-
First African American Movie Star
Movies made in the 1950s are very different from movies made today. Back then, African American actors could not get leading roles because of prejudice. The first African American actor to star in a Hollywood movie was Sidney Poitier (PWAH tee ay).
Poitier was born in Miami and grew up in the Bahamas. He moved to New York City as a young man. He worked as a janitor at the American Negro Theater in exchange for acting lessons. Poitier went on to act in many plays and movies. He often played proud African American characters who struggled against prejudice. By the 1960s, Poitier had become a popular movie star. His popularity made it possible for other African American actors to get movie roles.
In 1963, Sidney Poitier won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in a movie called “Lilies of the Field”. He was the first African American actor to win this award. Since then, Poitier has acted in and directed many movies.
Critical Thinking
In what ways is Sidney Poitier important to American culture?