Who Was Hattie McDaniel? First Black Person To Win An Oscar

At the 12th Academy Awards on February 29, 1940, the world witnessed a historic moment as Hattie McDaniel took the stage to clinch the first-ever Oscar won by a black person. The 46-year-old African American artiste received the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. While the producer David O. Selznick had prepared a speech for McDaniel, she chose to deliver an impactful one she'd written with the help of her close friend and Black writer Ruby Berkley Goodwin. She expressed, "I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry."

Who Was Hattie McDaniel? A Pioneer In American Cinema

Born on June 10, 1893, Hattie McDaniel was the youngest of 13 children born to formerly enslaved parents Susan Holbert and Henry McDaniel. Her mother was a gospel musician while her father fought in the Civil War with the 122nd United States Colored Troops. Many of her siblings were actors or singers, piquing her interest in the performance arts. 

McDaniel started her career as a musician in her brother Otis' carnival company. In 1914, she and her sister Etta formed an all-female carnival show. Later, in 1920, she started working with a Black touring theatre troop called Melody Hounds. After a few years in theatre, she and the ensemble started performing their segment on commercial radio in Denver.

In 1926, McDaniel began releasing many of her self-written songs for record companies. However, after the stock market crashed in 1929, she could only find work as a washroom attendant at a club. While the bar's owner hesitated to let McDaniel perform, she soon started enchanting the audiences with her melodies before eventually moving to Los Angeles in 1931.

McDaniel initially struggled to find acting jobs in Hollywood and made a living by working as a maid and laundress. Meanwhile, her brother Sam, who was working on a radio program, managed to secure her a spot. Hattie McDaniel's show Hat-Hat-Hattie, about a quick-witted house help, was a hit but the pay was not enough for her to quit working as a maid in real life.

In 1932, McDaniel landed her first on-screen job to act as a house servant in The Golden West. Following this, she pursued many roles in cinema, mostly without credit. In 1934, she joined the Screen Actors Guild, a film and television labourers union. This started landing her more significant roles and a contract with a major production house.

By 1939, McDaniel had become a prominent part of the American film industry. She secured the role of a maid named Mammy in Gone with the Wind. While the film got McDaniel many laurels as a supporting actor, her character did not sit well with the African-American community and other critics as it was a stereotypical representation of black people.

Why McDaniel's Oscar Win Was Controversial

In 1940, McDaniel made history as she lifted the first Oscar award clinched by a black actor. However, behind this celebrated moment was a dark reality. The gala was held at a glamorous nightclub inside the Ambassador Hotel, where racial segregation was still practised. Reportedly, the film's producer David O. Selznick had to petition for McDaniel's entry.

McDaniel and her date were seated on a separate table from the rest of the cast, at the far wall of the room. Gone with the Wind received eight Academy Awards that night. However, the film was condemned for its pigeonholed representation of black characters. McDaniel's remark, "I'd rather play a maid than be a maid," gained significant attention.

Beyond entertainment, McDaniel was an important figure in African American politics and community service. During World War II, McDaniel served as chairman of the Negro Division of the Hollywood Victory Committee. While she received several acting accolades in her career, her consistent roles as a domestic servant garnered criticism from black audiences. 

Jill Watts, author of the biography Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood, describes, "She's an artist who's been resisting white domination with performance — up until she becomes involved in white show business."

Regardless of the polarising critiques, Hattie McDaniel is known as a trailblazer for the black community in cinema. She passed away in 1951.