Celebrating Black Performers in Cinema and Theatre
When thinking about Black History, I can’t help but think about the individuals that dared to dream bigger than average life. The people that persevered through discrimination, biases, and prejudice to find themselves in a position of wealth, fame, leadership, and I even would say idolization by many.
One of the categories that stick out to me the most when I think of this would be the Black people that broke the color barrier as actors & actresses. This sticks out to me because they gave new dreams to young Black men & women who did not think becoming an actor or actress was possible at the time, by allowing them to see someone like themselves in that position.
There are so many Black actors & actresses that we love watching today. That when we hear their name starring in a movie, or read their name in a trailer, we can’t help but get excited. For me, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Gabrielle Union, Michael B. Jordan, John David Washington, Halle Berry and so many more bring on that type of feeling.
I’m sure a lot of people know and love these stars as well. And when thinking about Black actors & actresses, they usually come to mind first. However, there are many more inspiring individuals that helped pave the way for the people we love to watch today. Without them, who knows if our favorite actors/actresses would have helped create the work of arts that we love to watch or remember as phenomenal films. Here are a few:
Hattie McDaniel—First African American to win an Academy Award
- This was the first African American and the first Black woman to win an Oscar. She achieved this academy award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as “Mammy” in Gone with the Wind in 1939. Black men at this time were rarely honored for their achievements and Black women even less. The significance of this inspired young women as they can see someone like themselves achieving the greatest honor an acting role offers.
Sidney Poitier—Best Black Actor in a lead role to win an Academy Award
- First Black male & Bahamian to win an academy award for best actor. He won this award along with a Golden Globe award in 1964 for his role in Lilies of the Field. This opened up the doors (broke the color barrier in U.S. Motion Pictures) for people of color who had ambitions of starring in a lead role, winning an Academy award or even being a star actor/actress
Bert Williams—First African American to perform on Broadway
- Bert Williams was the first Black man to perform on Broadway. He was the pioneer for others to come after him. One of, if not the most famous Black men to perform on Broadway, Bert Williams and his partners George Walker & Aida Overton Walker ran the largest and most successful Black performing organization at the time.
Juanita Hall—First African American to win a Tony
- Juanita Hall was the first Black person to win a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her role in Bloody Mary in 1950. She was the first to win this award and broke this barrier for African Americans who love acting and being a part of musicals.
Although I’m a fan of actors & actresses, I never wanted to become one. Instead, I took interest in athletics and dreamt about being in the NBA or MLB. I still take inspiration from some of the people I listed above; their work ethic, dedication to their craft, and how they carried themselves as individuals. Just as I look up to players like Allen Iverson & Ken Griffey Jr., others look up to Denzel Washington & Regina King. All these amazing people had others that inspired them and it’s important to remember and share their stories.
