In Memoriam 2022: Sydney Poitier (1927–2022) Tribute List

Bahamian American actor, director, and producer, Sydney Poitier broke the American motion-picture color barrier winning the first best actor Academy Award as an African American. He rejected parts based on racial stereotypes and redefined roles for African Americans with movies like A Patch of Blue, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field. During the civil rights movement, Poitier helped break down social barriers between Blacks and whites with landmark roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) and To Sir, with Love (1967). Poitier received prestigious awards throughout his career such as the Golden Globe, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a Grammy. Lauded widely as a luminary of film, this tribute list from quotes, interviews, and autobiographical notes capture Poitier's values, conscience, and integrity.