Hattie McDaniel
Hattie McDaniel 1893 – 1952
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Hattie McDaniel was blessed with a diverse set of skills to entertain an audience from the start. When the family moved to Denver in 1901, she was just one of two Black students in her elementary school. Despite this disparity in representation, McDaniel experienced less racial prejudice and was given ample opportunities to sing and recite poetry. Her talents could not be contained. In no time, McDaniel was performing professionally, singing in minstrel shows, dancing, and writing songs of her own.
McDaniel left high school during her sophomore year to pursue her professional career. She traveled to perform in her father’s minstrel show full time. While it took a few years, McDaniel finally a chance to perform on a larger scale. She was cast in the hit Fox production “Judge Priest.” McDaniel’s awe-inspiring duet with Will Rogers earned her more and more roles.
While traveling the country, McDaniel became one of the first Black female entertainers broadcast over American radio. Like most Americans, McDaniel and other minstrel show performers struggled to find work during the Great Depression. So, she accepted a job as a bathroom attendant in Wisconsin. When patrons learned of her incomparable vocal talents, the owner made an exception to the club’s strict segregationist policy and allowed her to perform.
This experience motivated McDaniel to head west for Hollywood and continue to pursue her dreams. Once in Los Angeles, McDaniel easily found work. She appeared in film after film. However, it is worthy to note, McDaniel received criticism for continually accepting unflattering roles that depicted her as a maid or a cook (believing this worked to perpetuate negative stereotypes of Black Americans. McDaniel recognized this but believed securing the roles was better than unemployment.
McDaniel’s signature role was as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. In the film, Mammy embodied many of the racist tropes often propagated by white slave owners. Her performance however, was groundbreaking and earned her an Oscar for best supporting actress by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This marked the first time the Academy bestowed an award on a Black performer.
