#NNPA BlackPress
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.
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.
#NNPA BlackPress
How to Use Credit Wisely
(NewsUSA) – As the holiday season approaches, more people are out shopping, searching crowded stores and online promotions for the best discounts, and using their credit cards to pay for it all. But beware the financial dangers of credit use — how you pay for these deals could safeguard your budget or lead to debt. […]
The post How to Use Credit Wisely first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional can help you guard against costly credit mistakes, paving the way for a financially sound festive season and beyond. Learn more about how to use credit in a way that works for you with the insights below.
Choose Your Credit Card Wisely
Whether you’re shopping for holiday gifts or purchasing necessities like groceries, the credit card you use can make a big difference. There are several factors to consider:
- Interest Rates. Rates generally run from 21-33%. The standard bank card charges at the low end of the range, and retailer credit cards (those typically with the store’s name on them) charge as much as 33%.
- Cash Back. Among the best deals are bank cards that offer cash back ranging from 1-4% of your purchase.
- Rewards Points. Some cards have rewards programs where you earn points that you can redeem for products or services. They may seem attractive but are worthwhile only if you’re actually interested in the rewards offered.
- Cash Discounts. While retailer credit cards have the highest rates, some offer big cash discounts at the point of purchase. That may be the only time they’re worth using.
Improving Your Credit Score
Boosting your credit score can help you qualify for the lowest available interest rates on auto loans, personal loans and mortgages. If you can, pay the full balance when your credit card bill arrives. But most importantly, never miss a payment. Paying on time not only avoids late fees, but also is a key factor in improving your credit score. The easy way to ensure timely payment is to set up automatic online payments.
A CFP® professional can help you develop other strategies to save money while improving your credit profile, including the following:
- Identifying which debt to pay down first.
- Switching to balance transfer cards that don’t charge interest for a year or longer.
- Converting high-interest debt with interest payments that are not tax-deductible to lower-interest debt whose interest payments are tax-deductible.
Establishing Credit
Lenders offer credit to people with a long and reliable credit history. Most young adults don’t have one. There are various ways to obtain credit, but steer clear of debit cards that claim they can help you build a credit history. When you consider the costs and requirements, they’re usually no bargain. You have better and cheaper options for establishing credit. Here are three of them:
- Get a secured credit card.
- If you have a student loan, make sure you’re up-to-date with payments.
- If you pay rent, ask your landlord to report your on-time payments to the credit bureaus.
The choices we make in managing credit can have a lasting impact on our financial journey. As you navigate the complex credit landscape, remember that CFP® professionals can offer tailored guidance for your unique circumstances. Whether it’s identifying strategic debt payments, exploring balance transfer options or establishing credit responsibly, a CFP® professional can provide a roadmap for achieving your financial goals. Find a CFP® professional today.
The post How to Use Credit Wisely first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Acura ZDX Type S features
LA Auto Show was the venus for the Acura ZDX Type S details.
The post Acura ZDX Type S features first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

LA Auto Show was the venus for the Acura ZDX Type S details.
The post Acura ZDX Type S features first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
#NNPA BlackPress
Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show
LA Auto Show was the venue for the Subaru Forester. This was the most interesting display technologically.
The post Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

LA Auto Show was the venue for the Subaru Forester. This was the most interesting display technologically.
The post Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
-
Activism5 days ago
Oakland Post: Week of November 22 – 28, 2023
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of November 15 – 21, 2023
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of November 8 – 14, 2023
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of November 1 – 7, 2023
-
Bay Area3 weeks ago
“California Draining:” Stanford Report Explores Why More Californians Are Moving to Texas and Arizona Than Ever Before
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Survivors, Officials Attend State Memorial Honoring 35 Firefighters Who Died on Duty
-
Activism3 weeks ago
The Lookout: What You Should Know About California’s New Gun Laws
-
#NNPA BlackPress2 weeks ago
T.I. and Tiny Open Affordable Housing Complex in Atlanta