Sidney Poitier: A trailblazing life in his own words

By JAKE COYLE
AP Film Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — As a trailblazing actor to generations of Black performers in Hollywood, Sidney Poitier often spoke about his larger off-screen role. Poitier, who died Thursday at the age of 94, entered the film industry at a time when portrayals of African Americans were generally stereotypical. But Poitier, who refused to play such caricatures, emerged as a matinee idol, an Oscar-winning actor and one of the most potent and graceful screen presences of his time, paving the way for countless who followed him. In interviews and in his 2000 autobiography, “The Measure of a Man,” Poitier spoke about the hardships, responsibilities and importance of his ascent in Hollywood.