Sidney Poitier paved the way for other black actors

When Evelyn Poitier visited a clairvoyant to ask about the fate of her premature son, it was more hope than actual belief that soothed her worries.

Little did she, or anyone else, know the palm reader's prophecy was true -- that this infant,would in fact rise to world fame.

Yet that is exactly what Sidney Poitier did, and more.

After starring in over 40 films, directing nine and writing four, Poitier's fame only scratches the surface of his many accomplishments that have paved the way for other black stars.

"It is impossible to understand the impact that Sidney Poitier has had on the film industry," said theatre professor Charles Dumas, who starred in Separate But Equal with Poitier. Dumas added that Poitier "pushed the envelope whenever he could to expand the world for black actors."

Poitier has appeared before congressional committees investigating discrimination in filmmaking, and he has refused to work on films that do not employ increased numbers of black talent. This high level of integrity has been with Poitier since he entered both the country and the film industry.

Poitier was born in Miami but he was raised on Cat Island in the Caribbean until the age of 15, when he moved back to the United States. He often credits his island upbringing for his integrity, which later helped him battle racism.

Poitier gained recognition after his performance in No Way Out in 1950. His fame as both a big-screen attraction and a serious artist continued to rise: in 1958 he received an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Defiant Ones and he won the Best Actor Oscar in 1963 for Lilies in the Field -- the first black actor to do so. Throughout this time period and into the late '60s, Poitier was one of the highest paid actors in the world.

Even with all of his fame and talent, Poitier took a leave of absence from acting in 1977 after Piece of the Action, which he filmed with Harry Belafonte and Bill Cosby. He wanted to spend more time with his family and work on his autobiography, This Life, which was published in 1980. Poitier also directed and wrote some films during his leave, including Stir Crazy in 1980 and Hanky Panky in 1982.

He returned to acting in 1988 with Shoot to Kill and is most recently remembered for his role in the 1992 suspense film Sneakers.

Many students have seen only his most recent films.

"I really liked him in Sneakers and In the Heat of the Night," said Kevin Chamberlain (senior-architectural engineering), "but I haven't seen a lot of his stuff."

Beyond acting, Poitier has received many honors, including recognition from the American Museum of the Moving Image (1989) and the first Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. He was most recently honored by the Kennedy Center last December.

As both an actor and a person it is clear to see why Dumas calls Poitier "an ancestor to emulate."