Legendary Actor Sidney Poitier Has Died at the Age of 94

First, it was Betty White, and now Hollywood is in mourning today with news of the passing of beloved actor Sidney Poitier. One of the major accomplishments of his career was winning an Oscar for Best Actor for "Lilies of the Field" in 1964. Sidney Poitier was also the first black actor to receive a Golden Globe award.

The news was made official this morning from the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs as Poitier was born on Cat Island which is a Bahamian province. At the time that Poitier was born, the island was actually a British Crown colony.

In addition to his many acting accolades for his performances over the years, Poitier was also honored in a variety of different ways by world leaders. In 2009, President Barak Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This award is the highest civilian honor that someone can receive from the United States. Poitier was born in Miami while his parents traveled from farm work in the Bahamas to sell their produce. Sidney Poitier held dual Bahamian-US citizenship.

Two of my favorite Poitier movies were "To Sir, with Love" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?". In terms of his career, in "Blackboard Jungle, Sidney Poitier played the role of Gregory W. Miller in the 1955 movie. His appearance in "Blackboard Jungle" was really his breakout role, and he received acclaim from critics for "A Raisin in the Sun and A Patch of Blue."

Sidney Poitier had an impact on the world and not just for his acting. He even served as the Bahamian Ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2007.