The Academy Receives Backlash Following Appreciation Tweet Towards Late Actress Hattie McDaniel, First African American To Win An Oscar: Y’all Treated Her Like Sh*t Though

Hattie McDaniel

The Academy Receives Backlash Following Appreciation Tweet Towards Late Actress Hattie McDaniel, First African American To Win An Oscar: Y’all Treated Her Like Sh*t Though

Is the love that the Motion Picture Academy recently showed Hattie McDaniel a little too late?

Famed actress/singer Hattie McDaniel was born in 1893 and is most known for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film ‘Gone With The Wind.’ She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work within the movie, which makes her the first African American to win an Oscar. Despite her moving performance, Hattie McDaniel wasn’t allowed to attend the premiere of ‘Gone With The Wind’ in Atlanta because it was held at a whites-only theater. In addition to that, the night McDaniel won her Oscar in Los Angeles she had to sit at a segregated table at the side of the ceremony room. McDaniel died due to breast cancer when she was 59-years-old in 1952.

Hattie McDaniel

Earlier this week the official Twitter account for The Academy shared an appreciation post towards McDaniel and her historic accomplishment. They Tweeted,

“Hattie McDaniel in 1939’s epic Civil War drama, ‘Gone With the Wind.’ McDaniel, who received a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance, made history at the 12th Academy Awards by becoming the first African American to be nominated and to win an Oscar.”

They then added a quote from McDaniel the night she won her Oscar.

Following the tweet, it didn’t take long for people to call The Academy out for the way McDaniel was previously treated by the professional honorary organization.

What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Tell us below! 

Authored by: Twila-Amoure McDaniel