Jill Watts discusses her book, “Hattie McDaniel.” She begins by explaining that the book tells the story of Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American to win an Academy Award. Born the youngest daughter of freed slaves, Hattie McDaniel sang and danced to help provide for her family. From the beginning her career as a singer and comedian was highly successful and she soon found herself in Hollywood. Watts details the actress’ rise to fame, culminating with her Oscar winning performance as Mammy in “Gone With the Wind.” She explains that winning the Oscar was the pinnacle of McDaniel’s career, but also heralded its collapse. Watts goes on to explain that despite McDaniel’s superb acting abilities she became typecast as the affable and disgruntled maid. Although McDaniel had educated herself, dressed elegantly and became involved in a wide range of political and social issues, studios continued to present her as a negative black stereotype. Adding to McDaniel’s frustration, Watts points out that she was bombarded by criticism from the black community and the NAACP for accepting demeaning roles and supposedly perpetuating negative stereotypes. Yet, Watts maintains that in McDaniel’s eyes the choice was between accepting the parts and trying to give them depth and worth or simply not working.
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