THE MOUNTAINTOP

Hattie McDaniel was a Black actress, singer and comedian. She is best known for her portrayal of Mammy in the hit film Gone with the Wind (1939). For that performance, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and became the first Black American to receive such an accolade. Furthermore, she served as a prominent provider of entertainment to Black troops during World War II as the chairman of the Negro Division of the Hollywood Victory Committee. McDaniel was also successful in the radio entertainment field by becoming the first Black woman to sing on the radio and the first Black American to star in a radio show.  Despite her success in Hollywood, various performers and activists criticized her for taking on "stereotypical" roles. 

​

​