Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar, is recognized for having paved the way for a host of other Black artists throughout the course of his six-decade career.
Tributes to the icon poured in following his passing on January 6, 1994. Sidney was described as a “unique talent who exemplified dignity and grace” by former president Barack Obama. ”.
A friend later added, “He was a compassionate man and opened doors for all of us that had been closed for years. Co-star of Sidney, Denzel Washington, said it was an honor.
In the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle, Sidney Poitier played his first major role. He then went on to appear in 55 more movies and television programs. He will be regarded as someone who helped Hollywood overcome racial barriers.
The Bahamian-American actor wed Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus in 1976, and as the proverb goes, “no man succeeds without a good lady by his side. ”.
He had already been married, had four kids, and was involved in an affair when he first met Shimkus.
Poitier, the youngest of seven children, was raised on Cat Island in the Bahamas, where his father ran a farm. For the first ten years of his life, he resided there. Poitier unexpectedly arrived three months early, obtaining US citizenship in the process. To sell their goods, the family would fly to Miami.
He first made his home in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, before relocating to America at the age of 15 and joining the military as a young man while lying about his age.
He worked as a dishwasher after leaving the army before being cast in a role with the American Negro Theatre in Harlem, New York. After his initial audition, the aspiring actor went on to another one. When he was 18 years old, he was told that his accent prevented him from becoming an actor and that he “could hardly read.”.
He bought a radio to imitate the accents he heard, read every newspaper and magazine he could get his hands on, and asked an elderly Jewish waiter at the restaurant where he worked as a dishwasher to help him read and increase his vocabulary despite the harsh rejection.
He went back to the production company for another audition after an additional year and a half, and after doing so, he was hired for the show, beginning a career that would bring him many honors.
He first appeared on our screens more than ten years ago, and it was for the movie “Lilies of the Field” that he won his first Academy Award ten years later.
Perhaps his most important performance was in “The Lost Man,” where he first met Joanna Shimkus.
Four years after Poitier and his first wife Juanita Hardy’s divorce, the movie was released in 1969.
Additionally, it was the year following the dissolution of his nine-year relationship with Diahann Carroll, an actress.
Sidney and Juanita Hardy were married for 15 years in their first union. In 1950, they got married, and in 1965, they got divorced. On the other hand, he maintained his marriage to Joanna Shimkus, with whom he had two daughters.
Joanna said in 1998, “I suppose we were meant to be [together].”.
Shimkus took a break from acting between 1972 and 2010 to raise their daughters Anika and Sidney, who have continued in their parents’ footsteps.
Anika directed “Black Irish,” and Shimkus served as executive producer. Sidney has also made appearances in the films “Death Proof” and “Veronica Mars” by Quentin Tarantino. ”.
Poitier said in an interview that his wife had helped him realize the value of verbalizing love for one another on a daily basis over the years. ”.
Sidney stated to People in 2016 that “my wife and my children mean the most to me,” and Shimkus added another factor to their relationship’s longevity: “We’ve been together for 49 years, and I’m a good cook. I cook every evening. I look after him very well. ”.
For his contributions to the entertainment industry, he was honored with an honorary Academy Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a knighthood from the Queen. He never lost sight of the value of family, despite all of his accomplishments.
The well-known actor loved to spend time with his wife, ex-wife, six daughters, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
The history of relationships between people of different races is replete with instances of such relationships.
Joanna said it wasn’t a problem for her and her husband, though.
“Unlike America, I was raised in Canada and never really experienced prejudice. I simply didn’t feel those things. We’ve never experienced a problem. We might lead a very quiet life, it’s possible. I’m not certain if it’s the way things are just by default. However, I never considered him to be a Black man. Despite the fact that I am aware of his race, I thought he was a great man. In the film Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light, she referred to herself as “a wonderful person.”.
Let Sidney Poitier find peace. Because of your talent, grace, and tenacity in the face of adversity, you will live on in the hearts of people all over the world.
Please let others know.
