Sidney Poitier Wins Best Actor | 36th Oscars (1964) May 2026

Lilies of the Field (1963), in which he played Homer Smith, a handyman who helps a group of nuns build a chapel.

Anne Bancroft , who congratulated him with a kiss on the cheek—a gesture considered groundbreaking at the time. Sidney Poitier Wins Best Actor | 36th Oscars (1964)

This win made him only the second Black actor to win a competitive Oscar, following Hattie McDaniel's Supporting Actress win in 1939. The Best Actor category would not see another Black winner until Denzel Washington for Training Day (2001). Sidney Poitier Academy Awards Acceptance Speech Lilies of the Field (1963), in which he

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 The Best Actor category would not see another

"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

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