Like Sidney Poitier, who died on January 6, 2021 at the age of 94, who was a pioneer for the visibility of African-American talents on the small and big screen, other great personalities have preceded or followed him. Tribute.
Sidney Poitier, who just left us on January 6 at the ripe old age of 94; Cicely Tyson, left in January 2021 at the age of 96; Denzel Washington; Tyler Perry; Hattie McDaniel; and more … All these Hollywood and African-American talents were, each and each in their own way, pioneering figures in the Entertainment industry. Tributes.
Sidney Poitier
STARMAX / BESTIMAGE
Sidney Poitier, the legend. He was the first African-American actor to win, in 1963, the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Le Lys des champs, under the direction of Ralph Nelson. ATavant-garde, symbol of freedom and defender of human rights, who had a brief diplomatic career in 1997, as Ambassador of the Bahamas to Japan, died on January 6, 2021, at the age of venerable 94 years old.
Cicely tyson
Bestimage
Passed away on January 28, 2021 at the age of 96, Cicely tyson, a former model-turned-actress, was the first African-American star to star in a 1963 TV Drama, East Side / West Side, alongside George C. Scott. She has also regularly embodied many positive roles on TV, as in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman in 1974, or the mini-series King in 1978, dedicated to the famous pastor assassinated in Memphis.
Nichelle nichols
CBS
The African-American actress Nichelle Nichols entered legend thanks to her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura in the Star Trek series, from 1966. On November 22, 1968, she gave William Shatner, alias Captain Kirk, the first inter kiss. -racial between a black woman and a white man on American TV.
Oscar Micheaux
Wikipedia
Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951). There’s roughly a 99.9% chance you don’t know this man. He was, however, the very first African-American director in the history of cinema, signing the film in 1919. The Homesteader. He was also the first African-American director to make a talking film in 1931, The Exile. Even Charlie Chaplin had to wait until 1921 to sign his first feature, The Kid.
Whoopi goldberg
Lisa O’Connor / Zuma press / Bestimage
Whoopi Goldberg was the first African-American actress to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama in 1986, for her extraordinary composition in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. But she was also the first African-American actress to win the awards grand slam, holding an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar and a Tony Award. Respect.
Hattie mcdaniel
Hattie mcdaniel, unforgettable Mama, the guardian angel of Scarlet O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, was the first African-American actress to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, in 1940. But, in a still segregated America, Hollywood will give him the same stereotypical roles over and over again. Sur 95 films credited to her during her career, she has played the maid 74 times … Finally, it is not without a certain irony that she (again) found success on the radio, where her career pierced. She’s even the first African-American woman who works in radio to earn a salary of $ 1,000 a week.
Ethel Waters
Roland Reed Productions
Like others, the name of Ethel Waters (1896-1977) is unfortunately somewhat forgotten. Still, she was the first African-American actress to star in a sitcom, playing the title role of Beulah. Aired from October 1950 until 1951, for a total of 39 episodes, Beulah depicted a woman – a black servant with much more common sense than the family that employs her. If this series did a lot for the notoriety of Ethel Waters, it ended up leaving it, because of the racial stereotypes it conveyed.
Jennifer hudson
MAZARI / BESTIMAGE
In 2007, Jennifer Hudson became the first African-American actress to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Dreamgirls, even as she made her film debut with this film. Hat !
Denzel Washington
ALPHA AGENCY / BESTIMAGE
An actor no longer presented, unanimously respected by his peers, Denzel Washington is the first African-American actor to hold two Oscars. First that of the best supporting role for the film Glory, then that of the best actor for his fantastic work in Training Day. He is also the first African-American to receive eight nominations for an actor: six for best actor (for Malcolm X, Hurricane Carter, Training Day, Flight, Fences and L’Affaire Roman J.); and two for Best Supporting Actor (Cry Freedom and Glory).
Halle berry
Agency / Bestimage
Halle Berry was the first African-American actress to win an Oscar for Best Actress in 2001 for her performance in the film In the Shadow of Hate.
Angela Bassett
ANGELI-RINDOFF / BESTIMAGE
In 1993, Angela Bassett hit the screen by playing what will undoubtedly remain the role of her life: that of Tina Turner, in the biopic Tina. Crowned with the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, the actress was the first African-American to receive this distinction in this category, in 1994.
Bill Cosby
3F Productions
Before ending his life sadly, stuck in his affairs of multiple sexual assaults for which he still has to answer in court, Bill Cosby was a model. He was indeed the first African-American to play a leading role in a TV series, Les Espions, in 1965. But, more than that, he was a pioneer in the creation of a sitcom featuring a wealthy African-American family. far from stereotypes, with its famous Cosby Show, from 1984.
Oprah winfrey
Zuma Press / Bestimage
Actress in her spare time, powerful patron, astute and relentless businesswoman, famous TV host with her Talk show Oprah Winfrey Show, which became the most viewed program in television history until its last episode on May 25 2011 … The trajectory of Oprah Winfrey is an authentic Success Story. She was the first African American to have her own Talk Show. She has been ranked the richest African-American figure of the 20th century, the most philanthropic African-American of all time, and is historically the first African-American to become a billionaire, according to Forbes magazine.
Quvenzhané Wallis
FAMEFLYNET / BESTIMAGE
Very young, and already tall. Revelation of the formidable film Beasts of the Wild South in 2012, Quvenzhané Wallis was five years old when she auditioned for the role of the central character Hushpuppy; to the point that she had to lie and say that she was of legal age (which is 6) to audition. She is to date the youngest actress, moreover African-American, to receive an Oscar nomination for best actress, when she was 9 years old.
Tyler perry
FAMEFLYNET / BESTIMAGE
Author of plays, director, screenwriter, actor, producer … The talented Tyler perry is multi-card. He is the first African-American to have his own film studio, soberly called Tyler Perry Studios. His fortune is estimated at around $ 600 million.
