Reviving History: Remembering Hattie McDaniel's Oscar Win

“The iconic performance of Hattie McDaniel (the first black performer
to win an Academy Award) allows us to be a witness to history in
the making while also affording us the chance to consider the
complexities she faced during her era in Hollywood.”

–Kevin John Goff, Great-grandnephew of Hattie McDaniel

The history of film, either directly or indirectly, has always shined a bright light on artistic expression. This was apparent when Hattie McDaniel took the stage at the 12th Academy Awards® in 1940, becoming the first Black performer to be nominated and win an Oscar®.

This historic moment paved the way for actors such as Sidney Poitier (who became the second Black performer to win an Oscar® for his performance in the 1963 film Lilies of the Field, nearly a quarter of a century later) and Brock Peters to represent change during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement.

Hattie McDaniel remains a symbol of change, and to celebrate the 85th anniversary of Gone with the Wind (1939), we are examining “Hi-Hat Hattie’s” impact on Hollywood biggest night: The Academy Awards®.

The 12^th Academy Award’s®

McDaniel remained a beacon of change, never swaying from her beliefs even when facing discrimination. When the 12^th Academy Awards® nominations were announced, she had received a Best Supporting Actress nomination, becoming the first Black performer to be nominated. This culminated in her winning the award, and while her co-stars Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable sat together, she approached the stage from her segregated table in the back.

She then delivered a speech written by her friend Ruby Berkley Goodwin, thanking the motion picture industry [4].

“My desire for the part of Mammy was not dominated by selfishness for
Hollywood has been good to me and I am grateful.”
–Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel’s Legacy

After Gone with the Wind, McDaniel repositioned herself into radio and made history again in 1947 when she became the first Black actor to star in an American radio program, The Beulah Show. Not only was she the first, but she also replaced a white male actor. As her career in television was about to take-off, she sadly passed away from breast cancer in 1952 at the age of 59.

While some criticized Hattie for taking parts they viewed as stereotypical, it is clear that she opened many doors for black artists to come.

“Every actor and actress is possessed of the absorbing passion
to create something distinctive and unique.”
–Hattie McDaniel

After her death, she was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, and honored with a commemorative U.S. postage stamp in 2006 [5]. She had only two wishes before she passed away: 1. for her Oscar® to be given to Howard University (which was lost in 1970 and recently replaced by the Academy) and 2. for her body to be buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, which was rejected at that time due to her race, and was instead buried at the nearby Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery. A cenotaph was placed in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on her behalf in 1999 [6].

Read the full quote from Hattie McDaniel’s Great grandnephew:

“I am ecstatic that Fathom Events and Warner Bros are bringing Gone with the Wind back to theatres nationwide. This is important because it offers audiences the opportunity to see classic films on the big screen once again and for some, the first time ever. The iconic performance of Hattie McDaniel (the first black performer to win an Academy Award) allows us to be a witness to history in the making while also affording us the chance to consider the complexities she faced during her era in Hollywood.”

For more information on Hattie McDaniel, visit https://hattiemcdaniel.com/

Gone with the Wind will be in theaters nationwide April 7, 8, & 10 to celebrate its 85^th anniversary as part of Fathom’s Big Screen Classics. Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with all our events.