Topic description NORAM4520 FALL14

Sidney Poitier was the only black star in the 1960s.  There were some who had succeeded at making a living in Hollywood earlier and Hattie McDaniel had even won an Oscar, but none had been able to rise as high as Poitier in status in Hollywood or wealth.  This semester, we will examine Poitier in the context of black Hollywood and the white movie industry.  We will study his life and his films.  We will compare his films and career to some of the earlier black actors and actresses.  We will also look at where black films were going in the 1970s to examine why his stardom became controversial.  We will examine how being the sole black star affected his career choices and decisions.  A major question for the course is, “Why Poitier?”