the actor who paved the way for a whole generation of African-American comedians

This that day he became a Hollywood legend (United States) and became the hero of many African-American men and women: at 37, Sidney Poitier is the first black man to receive the Oscar for Best Actor. An exemplary journey for this farmer’s son, born in 1927 in segregated America. It is in darker roles that he shines, such as In the heat of the Night, where he plays the role of a policeman confronted by a racist sheriff.

Fiction quickly joins reality, for him who engages in the defense of civil rights, from the start of his career. “We have a lot of African American actors today, but when there were none, that’s where I appeared on screen.“, he said. 42 years later, it was a black president who decorated him, Barack Obama. He presented him with the Medal of Freedom, the highest American distinction. In France, he was made commander of the Arts and Letters in 2006.