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)
Anne Bancroft , who congratulated him with a kiss on the cheek—a gesture considered groundbreaking at the time. Poitier’s acceptance speech at the Santa Monica Civic