Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) was an iconic and pioneering actor, the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for *Lilies of the Field* (1963). Already nominated for *The Defiant Ones* (1958), his career was defined by roles of dignified, intelligent, and morally upright characters, who challenged racial stereotypes in an era of profound social transformation.

In the 1960s, Poitier dominated the screen, notably in 1967 with three seminal films: *Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?*, *In the Heat of the Night* (in his iconic role as Virgil Tibbs), and *To Sir, with Love*. His measured and powerful performances paved the way for generations of Black actors in Hollywood, making him a symbol of progress and artistic integrity.