A comprehensive Biography of Sidney Poitier!
Famous American actor Sidney Poitier was born on February 20, 1927 in Miami, Florida. His father was a black Bahamian and his mother was a black American. This is why he like some other famous African-American actors has two different cultures that are a part of him. He had to go through racial discrimination in Hollywood but still ended up being one of the most successful and legendary actors in the film industry.
At age 15, he moved to Miami and lived with his brother. At that time in his life, he began to develop a more rebellious nature which some have suggested may have been caused by the greater racial divide he experienced in North America compared to Latin America. This can be understood as the value of living in an environment where everyone shares similar backgrounds.
Poitier was one of the first Black men to break the negative stereotypes associated with African Americans during the time. During the first half of the century, Black movie characters often reflected racist stereotypes such as lazy servants or den mothers. However, Poitier's character has completely broken that mold and for that reason he is considered to be an activist and inspirational icon in today's society. Earlier this week we were advised that it may be a good idea to bring in another leader as our company takes on more challenging tasks (just like Spike Lee!)
Poitier had a deep passion for helping others from his early years. He believed he couldn't just sit back and watch others suffer; in fact, his deep devotion towards helping people made him one of the most beloved figures on the Civil Rights scene. His roles in films like Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) and To Sir, with Love (1967) helped to break down some social barriers between blacks and whites at the time. Thanks to his talent, conscience, integrity, and inherent pulchritude or "beautifulness" Poitier was perceived as an equal amongst whites, who were equally enamoured by him - though they probably didn't recognize that straight away.
At the same time, Sidney Poitier was the lone Black leading man in Hollywood in the 1960s and became an icon as he starred in mainstream movies that were popular with a mainstream audience. His work has been criticized by some who claimed they felt betrayed by his decision to star in "safer" roles that lacked explicit references or allusions to his race. Others argued he didn't criticize such mainstream fare for perpetuating stereotypes about Black people because he wanted to show everyone that Blacks could play leading roles, not just comic ones.
A must read for all Sidney Poitier's fan, Go to the top of the page and click of Buy Now With 1-Click to get your copy!
