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Black History: Hattie McDaniel First African American Oscar Winner

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The pinnacle of McDaniel’s career, Gone with the Wind, premiered in 1939 amid controversy. Though the role would eventually lead to an Oscar win for McDaniel, she was banned from the premiere. In fact, none of Gone with the Wind’s Black actors were allowed to attend the film’s Atlanta premiere.

Published

8 years ago

February 6, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Long before Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the Internet, Hattie McDaniel knew what it meant to “clap back” against her haters.

Upon hearing backlash for film roles where she portrayed a servant – during a time when servants were the only available roles for African Americans in Hollywood – McDaniel remarked, “I’d rather play a maid in the movies than be one in real life.

A trailblazer who opened the doors for blacks in Hollywood, McDaniel was the first African American to win an Academy Award when she was recognized for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Mammy, a black maid, in the 1939 classic, Gone with the Wind.

The ceremony, the 12th Academy Awards, was held at the segregated Ambassador Hotel and producer David Selznick had to petition for McDaniel to enter the hotel’s glitzy Cocoanut Grove nightclub.

When she took the stage at the 1940 Oscars, she was the only Black woman in the room.

According to Entertainment Weekly, co-stars Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable sat together while the 46-year-old McDaniel, clad in a blue dress and gardenias in her hair, sat at a separate, segregated table in the back of the venue.

After hearing her name announced, McDaniel eschewed the speech Selznick had prepared for her, and delivered one she’d written with the help of Ruby Berkley Goodwin, a Black writer and close friend, Entertainment Weekly reported.

“It has made me feel very, very humble, and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything I may be able to do in the future,” McDaniel said. “I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry.”

Little did she know, McDaniel’s win paved the way for 38 Black film industry professionals, including actors, musicians and directors to win an Academy Award or to receive an honorary distinction. Winners have included Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Louis Gossett Jr., Forest Whitaker, Octavia Spencer and Lupita Nyong’o.

Born on June 10, 1893 (with some sources listing her year of birth as 1895), in Wichita, Kansas, McDaniel was her parents’ 13th child, according to Biography.com.

Her father, Henry, was a Civil War veteran who suffered greatly from war injuries and had a difficult time with manual labor. Henry was later described by one of his sons as a minister, though this was a fictionalized account. McDaniel’s mother, Susan Holbert, was a domestic worker.

In 1901, McDaniel and her family moved to Denver, Colorado, where she attended the 24th Street Elementary School, and counted as one of only two black students in her class. While at East River High School, McDaniel started professionally singing, dancing and performing skits in shows as part of The Mighty Minstrels.

Her natural flair for singing – in church, at school and in her home – was apparent early on and gained her popularity among her classmates, according to Biography.com.

In 1909, she decided to drop out of school in order to more fully focus on her fledgling career, performing with her older brother’s troupe.

In 1911, she married pianist Howard Hickman and went on to organize an all-women’s minstrel show.

In the 1920s, McDaniel worked with Professor George Morrison’s orchestra and toured with his and other vaudeville troops for several years.

By mid-decade, she was invited to perform on Denver’s KOA radio station, according to biography.com. Following her radio performance, McDaniel continued to work the vaudeville circuit and established herself as a blues artist, writing her own work.

In 1931, McDaniel scored her first small film role as an extra in a Hollywood musical. Then in 1932, she was featured as a housekeeper in The Golden West.

The pinnacle of McDaniel’s career, Gone with the Wind, premiered in 1939 amid controversy. Though the role would eventually lead to an Oscar win for McDaniel, she was banned from the premiere. In fact, none of Gone with the Wind’s Black actors were allowed to attend the film’s Atlanta premiere.

McDaniel continued to land parts here and there, but as roles for black actors were hard to come by, she was again forced to take odd jobs to make ends meet.

During World War II, McDaniel helped entertain American troops and promoted the sale of war bonds, but she soon found the film offers to be drying up. She responded by making a strategic return to radio, taking over the starring role on CBS radio’s The Beulah Show in 1947.

In 1951, McDaniel started filming for the television version of The Beulah Show. Unexpectedly, she suffered a heart attack around the same time, and was forced to abandon her career upon being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Responding to criticism over her maid roles, McDaniel said it was her prerogative to accept whatever roles she chose. She also suggested that characters like Mammy proved themselves as more than just measuring up to their employers.

McDaniel lost her battle with cancer in Los Angeles, California, on October 26, 1952.

After her death, the groundbreaking actress was posthumously awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1975 and honored with a commemorative U.S. postage stamp in 2006.

A well-received biography on her life was published in 2005—Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood, by Jill Watts.

Last year, it was announced that producer Alysia Allen had obtained the film rights to the book and was looking to develop a biopic.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY