Sidney Poitier: The Great Speeches of an Icon Who Moved Us Forward

The speeches of film legend Sidney Poitier--given at commencement addresses, awards shows, memorials, and more, on topics ranging from entertainment history to filmmaking, civil rights, and parenthood--come to vibrant life in this inspirational and stunningly packaged volume from the Poitier estate that sheds new light on the trailblazing artist’s life and culture of the past century.

Sidney Poitier represented strength, good looks, and above all dignity at a time when Black representation on the screen was so often relegated to servile parts. He broke ground as the top box-office draw in Hollywood at the peak of his career, and was the first Black actor to win the Best Actor Oscar, for his performance in Lillies of the Field (1963). Poitier--who narrowly escaped illiteracy after rising up from an impoverished childhood and the massive obstacles he faced as a Black man in mid-twentieth century America--was also one of the most articulate and sought-after speakers of his day.

This book is a one-of-a-kind collection showcasing the wise, witty, and deeply personal speeches Poitier gave at awards ceremonies, family events, memorials, and more. His salutes to artists such as Dorothy Dandridge, Spencer Tracy, Stanley Kramer, and Denzel Washington offer fresh insight on icons of our time. Poitier’s unforgettable cadence and voice are clear as day on the page, sometimes with careful edits and additions written in his own hand. Compiled by his wife, Joanna Poitier, and illustrated by dozens of professional and family photos, this collection stunningly captures all that was remarkable about the man through his own words; archives moments in the history of entertainment, culture, and civil rights; and offers a uniquely inspirational perspective on career, family, art, and life.

Sidney Poitier was a groundbreaking international film star, director, author, civil rights activist, and father of six. Over the course of his life, his image both onscreen and off stood as an example of strength, style, talent, and integrity. He starred in more than forty films, including The Defiant Ones, A Raisin in the Sun, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, and Lilies of the Field, for which Poitier became the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Over the years Poitier’s achievements were recognized with a Kennedy Center Honors Award, an NAACP Image Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a Grammy Award, and the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award, among many other accolades.

Joanna Poitier is a Canadian actress who starred in more than a dozen films under her given name of Joanna Shimkus before marrying Sidney Poitier in 1976. She is the mother of their two daughters, Anika and Sydney Tamiia. She resides in Los Angeles, CA.