Sidney Poitier Wins Best Actor | 36th Oscars (1964) File

Poitier’s acceptance speech at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium was famously brief and dignified:

The piece refers to the historic moment on April 13, 1964, when Sidney Poitier became the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field . Acceptance Speech Transcript Sidney Poitier Wins Best Actor | 36th Oscars (1964)

Lilies of the Field (1963), in which he played Homer Smith, a handyman who helps a group of nuns build a chapel. Poitier’s acceptance speech at the Santa Monica Civic

Anne Bancroft , who congratulated him with a kiss on the cheek—a gesture considered groundbreaking at the time. "Because it is a long journey to this

"Because it is a long journey to this moment I am naturally indebted to countless numbers of people, principally among whom are Ralph Nelson, James Poe, William Barrett, Martin Baum, and of course the members of the Academy. For all of them, all I can say is a very special thank you." Key Event Details