Trailblazer: Hattie McDaniel

In her 2009 Oscar acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress, Mo’Nique gave this shout-out to another well-known actress: “I want to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to.” 

Many will remember that Hattie McDaniel was the first Black actor to win an Oscar, but perhaps less well-known are some of her other achievements, such as Hattie’s status as the first Black woman to be broadcast on US radio or her two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Be sure to catch episode 20 to learn more about the life and legacy of this remarkable woman, “Trailblazer: Hattie McDaniel.”