Sidney Poitier-exploring the heart of justice through film and stage

Sidney Poitier had one of the most successful acting careers in history, winning numerous more awards, but more importantly appearing in productions that explored issues of race, discrimination, human rights, and justice.

This is one of those post updates I would rather not need to write. On January 6, 2022, acclaimed actor Sidney Poitier died at age 94 in his parents’ native country the Bahamas.

Although movie historians insist on recognizing him as the first Black Man to win the Best Actor Academy Award, I believe he is best remembered as a person who overcame incredible personal challenges to achieve a successful career that not only entertained but challenged the status quo and taught difficult lessons about human relationships, especially the scourge of racism.

Mr. Poitier twice portrayed physicians in movies. The first, in 1950, which was also his film debut, was in No Way Out, where as a black physician he treated a bigoted white patient. Even now, it is not unusual for a black physician to encounter rascism in white patients; in 1950 it was essentially the norm.

The next film is better known, possibly because he acted opposite two of the most successful actors of that time. In 1967 Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy played a married couple whose white daughter was engaged to a young black physician, played by Sidney Poitier. The movie, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, was nominated for the Best Movie Academy Award and won for Best Story and Screenplay.

The film was one of the few films of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light, as interracial marriage historically had been illegal in most states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—until June 12, 1967, six months before the film was released. Roughly two weeks after Tracy filmed his final scene (and two days after his death), anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia. (Wikipedia)

The following is taken from my original post about Mr. Poitier.

Lilies of the Field

Although his acting ability had already won critical acclaim, a young actor made movie history in 1963 in a film based on this Bible text. In Lilies of the Field , he portrayed an itinerant handyman who meets a group of German-speaking nuns living in rural Arizona. After performing a small repair on a roof for them, he naturally asks to be paid. To which the Mother Superior replies,

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Matthew 6:28,29 ESV

In case you’re not familiar with the reference, it’s from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount; here is the full context.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (In the Old Testament, Solomon was a King, who was the richest man in the world at that time.)

 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Matthew 6, ESV

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

That actor went on to have one of the most successful acting careers in history, winning numerous more awards, but more importantly appearing in productions that explored issues of race, discrimination, human rights, and justice.

Sidney Poitier, now 93 years old, won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field. He was the first black man to win the best actor award, and the second black person to win any Academy award. ( Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for her role in 1939’s Gone with the Wind, making her the first black person to be nominated for and receive an Oscar. In June 2020 HBO planned to add “historical context” to the streaming version of the movie.)

He went on to win the Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, the first Black person to win in that in that award program. He later won the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award in 1982.

In a post on the website The New Lyceum, Joey Barretta wrote this about the actor.

Sidney Poitier was the first black actor to win the Best Actor Oscar in 1964, the same year that the Civil Rights Act was passed and a year prior to the Voting Rights Act. He rose to be a star at a time in which racism was common and his career began before segregation was abolished. This man is a true hero, albeit one who played some compelling fictional characters setting an example for the fallacy that is racism. By portraying decent men, he set an example of excellence in character that even the prejudiced whites of his day could not ignore.

J. Baretta, March 5, 2018
Some of Mr. Poitier’s other works which delved into social issues include
  • Cry, the Beloved Country-based on the novel about apartheid in South Africa
  • To Sir, With Love-social and racial tensions in an inner city school
  • Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner – interracial marriage
  • A Patch of Blue and The Defiant Ones -interracial friendships
  • In the Heat of the Night and They Call Me Mister Tibbs!– racial bias among law enforcement professionals
  • Separate but Equal– portrayal of Thurgood Marshall, future Supreme Court Justice
  • Mandela and deKlerk-portrayal of Nelson Mandela, future President of South Africa
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I’d love for you to read the original post so just follow this link.

How Lilies of the Field challenged the fallacy of racism

That actor went on to have one of the most successful acting careers in history, winning numerous more awards, but more importantly appearing in productions that explored issues of race, discrimination, human rights, and justice.

exploring the HEART of life through literature and media

I’ll hope you’ll watch Lilies of the Field if you’ve never seen it before. And also watch some of Mr. Poitier’s other films, which add revealing context to the social justice issues our country is confronting and correcting in the 21st century. Check out this article for some suggestions .

Dr. Aletha

I also referenced the Loving vs Virginia Supreme Court case in a post I’d like for you to read also.

Say Goodbye for Now- a book review

This post reviews Say Goodby for Now. Dr. Lucy lives alone except for the menagerie of injured animals she has doctored back to life. She likes her life the way it is, until she opens her home to three unexpected and unlikely guests. The book references important historical events.

Exploring the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

As I learned the sport’s history, I noticed few drivers are injured or killed in a sport involving high speed motor vehicles on a narrow track. The answer lies in the drivers training to avoid injury, the specialized garments they wear, and the safety features built into the cars.

The Indianapolis 500 annual car race claims to be the largest single sporting event in the world. On race day, all traffic in Indianapolis is routed toward the Speedway, to accomodate the influx of thousands of people and cars.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum preserves and shares a premier collection of automotive and motor racing vehicles and memorabilia, including racing, classic, and antique passenger cars. In this fun post I’m sharing some photos I took at the Museum, including some personally special cars.

  • a marble statue of an INDY racecar and view of the stands
  • a sign reading INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
  • a building INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

The museum holds 32 Indy 500 first place cars plus other vehicles from NASCAR, Formula One, short-track racing, drag racing, and motorcycles. The Hall of Fame showcases the drivers, team owners and personalities behind the cars and the sport.

DR ALETHA STANDING BY AN INDY CAR
1971 Indianapolis 500 winner driven by Al Unser
A bright blue and yellow pro race car

This car won the race the year I graduated from high school.

I don’t follow car racing but my husband enjoys watching it on television and we both enjoyed a tour of the museum while in Indianapolis for the Americal Divison Veterans Association Reunion. Raymond is a U.S. Army Veteran who served in the Vietnam War.

a man standing by a blue race car at Indy race museum
Raymond standing by his special car

As I learned the sport’s history, I noticed few drivers are injured or killed in a sport involving high speed motor vehicles on a narrow track. The answer lies in the drivers’ training to avoid injury, the specialized garments they wear, and the safety features built into the cars.

from a display at the Dallara Factory

We also visited the Dallara IndyCar Factory, where we learned about Gian Paolo Dallara, founder of Dallara Automobili. Before founding the company, Mr. Dallara worked for Ferrari, Masserati, and Lamborghini.

My favorite car-“The Pink Zink”

A special treat was finding an Indy 500 winner from my hometown, Tulsa Oklahoma. The 1955 Indy 500 winner , “The Pink Zink”, a Kurtis Kraft 500 D, was owned by Tulsa business man John S. Zink, Jr. and driven by Bob Sweikert.

Mr. Zink and his father were visionary businessmen who made fortunes in the oil and gas industry, but also served Oklahoma with their philanthropic contributions.

exploring the HEART of health

wishing you healthy travels, Doctor Aletha

And if you can’t make it to the Speedway, you can read about it with these affiliate links, which also help support this blog.

“In The Winning Cars of the Indianapolis 500, James Craig Reinhardt, author and official tour guide for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, details the history of the famous race and how the open-wheel race cars have evolved over the last century. Starting in 1911 with the first running of the Indy 500, Reinhardt profiles each race and car, including the starting position, engine, tires, race speed, margin of victory, and much more. Featuring nearly 200 images of the automobiles and individuals who make the race renowned, this book showcases the top drivers and how racing has changed through two world wars, the Great Depression, and unforgettable accidents.”

Exhibits at the museum explain this “split” in the business partnership that founded the speedway. Fortunately, it didn’t destroy either the track or the sport.

“The story begins in 1945, when a businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana named Tony Hulman rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from potential redevelopment. Over the next 75 years, the Hulman-George family used the stature of the Speedway to carve out a powerful position in American auto racing. Stewardship of the IMS often brought the family into conflict with Indy car competitors. A volatile period in the late 1970s resulted in the formation of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and tensions ramped up even more when Hulman’s grandson, Tony George, assumed power in 1990.

The Split forced Indy car fans, sponsors, broadcasters and participants to choose sides. It created confusion and animosity and caused tremendous damage to the sport. With negotiations driven by legendary racer Mario Andretti and actor/racer Paul Newman, The Split was finally resolved in 2008, only for George to walk away less than three years later from the role he so desperately coveted. The long struggle for stability and leadership was finally resolved in 2020 when Roger Penske acquired IMS and the IndyCar Series.”