Sidney Poitier came into my life as Walter from the ground breaking play, Raisin in the Sun. It was life changing. I remember seeing Mr. Poitier on the screen in black and white and it seemed like he was in technicolor. I felt so much pain for the Walter character who only wanted a chance to be his own man. Walter reminded me of so many of the young men I’d seen growing up.
But that’s how Sidney Poitier showed up on screen. No matter what was happening, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him. Born in Miami to Bahamian parents who sold tomatoes and produce, he was granted a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 1974. In 1995, he received the Kennedy Center Honor and in 2009, President Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest honor a civilian can receive from the White House.
#Vegetarian Lifestyle
Sidney Poitier spent many years growing up in the Bahamas and lived a long life. Many would say that his choice to become a vegetarian may have had a lot to do with that. He removed alcohol, red meat and sugar from his diet and ensured that he ate plenty of vegetables. That’s what Black Girls Eat is all about and that’s why he is in today’s post. He lived a life of challenges and triumphs and left us with a legacy of excellence. Good night good Sir.
Milestones in the Life of Sidney Poitier
- The Defiant Ones 1958- First Black actor to be nominated for an Academy Award
- First Black actor to win an Academy Award-Lilies of the Field 1963
- Directs Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder in the film, Stir Crazy and is the first Black director to gross over $100 Million
LA Dunn is a plant-based advocate who has read the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry at least 30 times. When she is not scouring the news for food related people and stories, she is at home remixing recipes.
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