Hattie McDaniel:
Actress, Singer, Stage/Radio Performer, Television Star, Hattie McDaniel, Died On October 26, 1952. She Was 57 Years Old.
McDaniel Was Born June 10, 1895, In Wichita, KS, To Ex-Slave Parents. She Was The Youngest Of Thirteen Children.
She Began Her Professional Career On The Vaudeville, Circuit. She Was An Excellent Blues Singer And The First Black Woman To Sing On Radio. She Starred As The Domestic, Beulah, On Both Radio And Television.
During The 1930's And 1940's McDaniel Acted In More Than 70 Films. Her Roles Were Usually That Of The "Supportive But Independent And Outspoken Mammy."
It Was That Type Of Role For Which She Received The 1939 Oscar For Best Supporting Actress. She Played Mammy In The Movie, Gone With The Wind And Became The First African American To Win An Academy Award.
When Addressing Critics About Her Choice Of Movie Roles McDaniel Said, "I'd Rather Play A Maid For $700 A Week Than Be One For $7.00 A Week"
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." -- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.
