Hollywood is reeling from the death of a legend.
Sidney Poitier who was the first Black man to receive an Academy Award for Best Actor has passed away at 94.
The news was initially disclosed by Fred Mitchell, the Bahamas’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, on January 7, although the cause of his death has yet to be determined.
Beginning in the 1950s, the legendary actor had a productive career that included prominent roles in Porgy and Bess, A Raisin in the Sun, To Sir, With Love, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
Poitier made history in 1964 when he became the first Black and Bahamian-born actor to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Legendary actor, Sidney Poitier dies at age 94
His highly-polished list of accolades included two more Academy Award nominations, ten Golden Globes nominations, two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, six BAFTA nominations, eight Laurel nominations, and a Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination.
In 2002, Poitier received an Honorary Academy Award for his overall contribution to American film.
In 2009, the actor received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from U.S. President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
Legendary actor, Sidney Poitier dies at age 94
Before his passing, Poitier was one of the last surviving major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema, and the oldest living and earliest surviving male Academy Award winner.
Twice-married, he had four daughters with his first wife Juanita Hardy, and two with his second wife of 45 years, Joanna Shimkus. He had eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
