1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: a show that pays tribute to people of the past 4 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: by telling their stories. Today, I'm Gay Blusier, and today 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: we're celebrating the life of one of the finest actors 6 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: to ever grace the silver screen, a true pioneer of 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: American cinema, Mr Sidney Quoitier. The day was February. Legendary 8 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: actor Sydney Poitier was born in Miami, Florida. His parents 9 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: were farmers from the Bahamas, and they routinely traveled to 10 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: Miami to sell their tomato crop. On their visit in 11 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: early n Sydney's mother went into labor several months or 12 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: causing her son to be born a dual citizen of 13 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: both the United States and the Bahamas. Although he was 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: born in Miami, Sydney Poitier grew up on cat Island 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: in the Bahamas, the youngest of nine children. In nineteen 16 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: thirty seven, his family moved to Nassau after the state 17 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 1: of Florida banned the import of tomatoes from the Bahamas. 18 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 1: To help make up for that lost income, Sydney dropped 19 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: out of school at age twelve and took a job 20 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: as a water boy for a group of day laborers. 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: Over time, his parents noticed he was getting in a 22 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: lot more trouble than he had in school. They worried 23 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: their son was heading down the wrong path in the Bahamas, 24 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: so when he turned fourteen, they arranged for him to 25 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: live in Miami with one of his older married brothers. 26 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: As a black teen growing up in the Bahamas, Sydney 27 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: Poitier had never experienced racial segregation. He had been able 28 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: to travel freely without being quest to enter any establishment, 29 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: and to take whichever seat he wanted. But by returning 30 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: to the land of his birth, he had suddenly become 31 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: a second class citizen, one who was subject to the 32 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: same rules and restrictions as other black Americans in the South. 33 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: He later reflected on his early encounters with American racism, saying, quote, 34 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: it was all over the place like barbed wire, and 35 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: I kept running into it and lacerating myself. By the 36 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: time he turned fifteen, Sydney Poitier had ditched Miami in 37 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,679 Speaker 1: favor of New York City, but life in the Big 38 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: Apple wasn't much easier. He had arrived with just three 39 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: dollars in his pocket, and so desperate for work, he 40 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: took on whatever odd jobs he could find, dishwasher, deliveryman, 41 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: ditch digger, you name it. The little money he made 42 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: was never enough, and sometimes the only shelter he could 43 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: afford on cold nights were pay toilets. A year later, 44 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: in late nineteen forty three, Sydney Poitier lied about his 45 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: age and enlisted in the U. S. Army. For the 46 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: next year, he served as an orderly in a medical 47 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: unit at a veteran's hospital on Long Island. In nineteen 48 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: forty five, he obtained a discharge and returned to New York, 49 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: where he took an interest in theater. He saw a 50 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 1: notice in the Amsterdam News that the American Negro Theater 51 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: was looking for new actors. On a whim, he decided 52 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: to audition. It's a didn't go so well. He read 53 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: slowly and struggled to pronounce longer words. He was also 54 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: hard to understand due to his strong West Indian accent. 55 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: It was such a poor showing that one of the 56 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: theater's founders, Frederick O'Neill, leaped on to the stage, snatched 57 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: the script from his hand, and marched him to the door. 58 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: The furious director said that Sydney was wasting everyone's time 59 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: and suggested that he get a job as a dish 60 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: swasher instead. That struck a chord with Poitier, who had 61 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: worked as a dishwasher before joining the army and had 62 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: indeed recently returned to the job. In interview with the 63 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: American Academy of Achievement, the actor recalled the profound impact 64 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 1: that encounter had on his life. He said, how did 65 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: he know that I was a dish washer? He suspected 66 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: I didn't tell him. I didn't see anything about dish washing. 67 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: And I realized then and there that what he said 68 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: was his perception of my worth. He perceived me to 69 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: be of no value beyond something that I could do 70 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: with my hands. And while he was correct in his 71 00:04:55,200 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: anger to characterize me that way, I was offended. I 72 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: was offended deeply, and I said to myself, I have 73 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: to rectify that. I have to show him that he 74 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: was wrong about me. I decided then and there that 75 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: I was like, this is a wild decision that I made, 76 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: of course, but I did decide then, at that moment, 77 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: on that street, that I am going to be an actor. 78 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: Just to show him that he was wrong about me, 79 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: and then I would give up the acting because I 80 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: have I'm not what do I want to be an 81 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: actor for? And so determined to prove his worth, Sydney 82 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: Ploitier bought a radio and spent the next six months 83 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: practicing American enunciation as he heard it from radio announcers. 84 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: He also got reading lessons from an older gentleman he 85 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: worked with at the restaurant where he washed dishes. Finally, 86 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: after months of preparation, the actor auditioned again, and while 87 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: it went much better than the first time, he was 88 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: still rejected. Undeterred, Sydney Poitier made a bold, if not 89 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: humbling move. He volunteered to work as a janitor without 90 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: pay in exchange for a chance to study in the 91 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: theater's acting school. The directors agreed, and Poitier went on 92 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: to appear in a series of productions at the American 93 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: Negro Theater. His big break came in ninety six, when 94 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: he was cast in an all black Broadway production of 95 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: the ancient Greek play Lissa Strata. Four years later, Sydney 96 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: Poitier made his big screen debut in No Way Out, 97 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: where he played the role of Dr Luther Brooks, a 98 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: black doctor who treats a bigoted white criminal. The movie 99 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: set the tone for much of the actor's career. Rather 100 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: than accepting demeaning roles they've catered to racial stereotypes, he 101 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: would primarily play saintly characters, pillars of manners and morals 102 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: who would prove the stupidity of racism by responding to 103 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: its slights with poise and civility. For example, in The 104 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: Defiant Ones, Poitier plays a prisoner who escapes while shackle 105 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: to a racist white inmate played by Tony Curtis. Why 106 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: you're just too sensitive, man, I'm to nothing that's right. 107 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: You're to nothing that's right. But I got a little 108 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: advice for you, man, because I like you. Man. You 109 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 1: gotta take things as they are. You can't keep finding 110 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: them unless you want to be unhappy. I see you've 111 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: got a lot to learn. Boy like you living in 112 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: that fancy hotel. Yeah, likely living in that fancy hotel. 113 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: You think they don't let me in that fancy hotel too? 114 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: Sure they're girl. Let you in that hotel through the 115 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: back door. If you've got a pail and a mop 116 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 1: and you through the front door just long enough to 117 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: collect your tent? What's you just because I called you 118 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: in name? Over the course of the movie, Curtis's character 119 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: gradually comes to recognize the humanity of his partner, and 120 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: the pair eventually form a strong bond. At the time, 121 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: the movie was heralded for its provocative theme of racial harmony, 122 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: and Poitier actually earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor 123 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: for his role, the first time an African American man 124 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: had gotten a nod in the lead category. Roles like 125 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: that made crucial inroads to Hollywood for black actors who 126 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: followed Poitier. But during the height of the Civil rights movement, 127 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: many saw Poitier's characters as too measured and restrained in 128 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: the face of virulent racism. His characters, though clearly angry 129 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 1: beneath the surface, always managed to keep their cool. They 130 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: countered injustice with reason and responded to intolerance with forgiveness. 131 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: This was interpreted by many as a way to accommodate 132 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: white audiences and to reassure them that the only correct 133 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 1: way to push back against racism was with a quiet, measured, 134 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: dignified response. It's an understandable criticism, but not a very 135 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: charitable one. While limiting and by no means perfect, the 136 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: roles played by Poitier were a huge step up for 137 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: the portrayal of blackness in Hollywood. The weight of that 138 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: racial representation was something the actor shouldered throughout his career, 139 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: and it wasn't a responsibility he took lightly. As he 140 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: later explained, quote, I felt very much as if I 141 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: were representing fifteen eighteen million people with every move I made. 142 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: If the fabric of society were different, I would scream 143 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: to high Heaven to play villains and to deal with 144 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: different images of Negro life that would be more dimensional. 145 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: But I'll be damned if I do that at this 146 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: stage of the game. All I can say is that 147 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: there's a place for people who are angry and defiant, 148 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: and sometimes they serve a purpose. But that's never been 149 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: my role. Although he was reserved and non confrontational by nature, 150 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: Sydney Poitier was still a passionate, outspoken advocate for racial 151 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: justice and civil rights. He took part in the nineteen 152 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: sixty three March on Washington, and a year later, during 153 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: what was known as the Freedom Summer, Poitier worked with 154 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: fellow actor Harry Belafonte to raise and deliver seventy thousand 155 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: dollars to black rights activists in Mississippi. They wound up 156 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: being chased out of town by armed members of the 157 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: Ku Klux Klan, but luckily they got away unharmed. That 158 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: same year, Sydney Poitier made history by becoming the first 159 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 1: African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor 160 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: for the role he played in Lilies of the Field. 161 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: Poitiers starred as Homer Smith, a former g I turned 162 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: wandering handyman who gets tricked and later charmed into helping 163 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: a group of German nuns build a chapel in the 164 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: Arizona Desert. Then before pilot, Then they crucified him, but 165 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: he rose on Easter man a man, Hallelujah. He died. 166 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: It took thirty eight years, but in two thousand two, 167 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: Denzel Washington became the second African American actor to win 168 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 1: the Award for his role in Training Day. In his 169 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 1: acceptance speech, Washington saluted Poitier, saying quote, I'll always be 170 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: chasing you, Sydney. I'll always be following in your footsteps. 171 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: There's nothing I would rather do, sir, Nothing I would 172 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: rather do In his own career, Sydney Poitier continued to 173 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: break the boundaries of Hollywood. In nineteen sixty seven, he 174 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 1: appeared in three of the top grossing films of the year, 175 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: to Sir With Love, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and 176 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,679 Speaker 1: In the Heat of the Night. The success made him 177 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: one of the highest paid actors of the era and 178 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: one of the most reliable box office draws. Audiences who 179 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: longed to see a more confrontational side of Poitier got 180 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: their wish and In the Heat of the Night. In 181 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: that film, the actor plays one of his most famous characters, 182 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: Virgil TIBs of Philadelphia detective who winds up investigating a 183 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: murder in Mississippi alongside a lazy, racist sheriff played by 184 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: Rod Steeger. In one of the film's most powerful moments, 185 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: the sheriff calls the black detective a racial slur and 186 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: then mockingly asks what they call him up in Philadelphia. 187 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: He indignantly responds, they call me Mr TIBs, Mr Tips. Well, 188 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 1: Mr Ward, Mr Tips take him down to the depot. 189 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: I mean, boy, like, now, have the FBI laps and 190 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: you the report on this, not that it will make 191 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: any difference. I'll take that. Yeah, how wish you want? 192 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: I'm sending it in personally. In the late nineteen seventies, 193 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: Sydney Poitier decided to step back from acting and try 194 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: his hand to directing instead. His efforts didn't win over 195 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: many critics, but he did land a few box off 196 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: his successes, including the nineteen eighty comedy Stir Crazy, which 197 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: featured Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor as a bumbling pair 198 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: who were sent to prison by mistake. In Poitier returned 199 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: to acting after a decade's absence and appeared in a 200 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: series of action thrillers, the best of which was probably 201 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: Sneakers In. Still his greatest late career work was actually 202 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: for two made for TV movies. In he played the 203 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: lead role in Separate but Equal in ABC drama about 204 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: the life of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshal. Six years later, 205 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: he gave an acclaimed performance as Nelson Mandela in the 206 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: TV movie Mandela and the Clerk, which followed the final 207 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: years of Mr Mandela's imprisonment in South Africa. Poitier's final 208 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 1: role was in the Last Brickmaker in America, a two 209 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: thousand one TV movie about a widower whose job is 210 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: becoming obsolete. A year later, on the same night, Denzel 211 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: Washington won the award for Best Actor. Sydney Poitier was 212 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: presented with an honorary Oscar for quote his remarkable accomplishments 213 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: as an artist and as a human being. Eight years later, 214 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: in two thousand nine, the actor received an even higher award, 215 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. During the ceremony, President 216 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: Obama remarked that quote, Sydney Poitier does not make movies. 217 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: He makes milestones, milestones of artistic excellence, milestones of americ 218 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: Erica's progress. He not only entertained but enlightened, shifting attitudes, 219 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: broadening hearts, and revealing the power of the silver screen 220 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: to bring us closer together. The trailblazing actor, America's first 221 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: black movie star, passed away on January six two at 222 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: the age of ninety four. It's hard to overstate the 223 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: importance of Sydney Poitier's life and career. His commanding presence, 224 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: simmering rage, and quiet humility brought a new, much needed 225 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: perspective to the American film industry and to society as 226 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 1: a whole. We've talked a lot today in terms of 227 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 1: racial progress and historic firsts, and that's appropriate given the 228 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 1: many breakthroughs that Poitier achieved in his lifetime. But it's 229 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: worth noting that he was a great enough actor for 230 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: his films to stand on their own apart from historical context. 231 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: The deaf of emotion he poured into his performances is 232 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: truly stunning. He delivered a complex depiction of playfulness, sarcasm, outrage, melancholy, 233 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: and pure joy, often layered one on top of the other. 234 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: The work of Sydney Poitier is a reminder that no 235 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: one is just one thing, no matter what the expectations 236 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: of society and our harshest critics may tell us. I'm 237 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: Gabe Lousier and hopefully you now know a little more 238 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you'd like 239 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: to keep up with the show, you can follow us 240 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d i HC 241 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: Show Special Thanks to listener Brian Denny for suggesting the 242 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: topic of today's show. He actually shares a birthday with 243 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: Mr Poitier, so happy birthday, Brian, and if anyone else 244 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 1: has a historical topic they'd like to hear on the show. 245 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: You can send your suggest questions to this Day at 246 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: i heart media dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for 247 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: producing the show, and thank you for listening. I'll see 248 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: you back here again tomorrow for another day in History class. 249 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the iHeart 250 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 251 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 1: favorite shows.