When it came to casting the legendary film Gone With the Wind, the competition for the role of Mammy was almost as intense as the race for Scarlett O’Hara. Scores of actresses auditioned, including a personal request from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who wanted the role to go to her own maid. But Hattie McDaniel had something no one else did. She arrived at her audition dressed in a maid’s uniform and insisted that Mammy’s character not be portrayed in dialect. Her bold and confident performance left producer David O. Selznick so impressed that he called off the remaining auditions. Hattie's move wasn’t just savvy; it was revolutionary.
Gone With the Wind: A Defining Moment
For Hattie McDaniel, starring in Gone With the Wind was more than just a job—it was a crowning achievement. Her portrayal of Mammy, Scarlett’s wise and loving confidante, made her the first African American to ever win an Academy Award. It was a moment that would forever change the landscape for actors of color, paving the way for future generations to follow in her footsteps.
From Wichita to Hollywood: Hattie's Journey
Hattie McDaniel was born to a family with deep roots in history; her father was a Civil War veteran. Growing up in Wichita, Kansas, and Denver, Colorado, Hattie’s life was filled with music. She sang so often that her mother would joke she’d pay her to stop. But it was during a national radio contest at the age of 15 that Hattie found her true calling. Reciting a poem, she won the competition and realized then that performing was her destiny.
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Life wasn’t easy for Hattie. She faced personal tragedies, including the loss of her first husband, pianist Howard Hickman, to pneumonia. Her subsequent marriages were short-lived, and she never had children. Yet, through it all, she kept pushing forward, often working as a domestic when acting jobs were scarce. Her big break came one night when a singer at an inn where she worked fell ill. Hattie stepped in, performing "St. Louis Blues," and was an instant hit. They hired her on the spot.
Hollywood's Golden Era
In 1931, Hattie moved to California, where she quickly became a familiar face in Hollywood films. She played maid roles opposite stars like Mae West, Shirley Temple, Jean Harlow, Bela Lugosi, and even a pre-Gone With the Wind Clark Gable. Despite the limitations of her roles, Hattie found ways to shine, even landing singing parts in films like 1936’s Showboat. Over the course of her career, she appeared in over 300 films from 1931 to 1952.
Breaking Barriers
Winning the Oscar for Gone With the Wind in 1939 was a monumental achievement, but it didn’t come without challenges. Racial prejudice meant she couldn’t sit at the same table as her white co-stars on Oscar night. Even in victory, Hattie faced adversity. In 1949, she and other Black residents of LA’s West Adams neighborhood were sued by white neighbors who claimed a 1902 restriction on non-Caucasian property ownership was still valid. Fortunately, the judge dismissed the case.
Hattie also became a target for Black activists who criticized her for continuing to play domestic roles. But Hattie was unapologetic. "What do you want me to do?" she asked. "Play a glamour girl and sit on Clark Gable’s knee?" She kept going, starring in her own radio and TV series, Beulah, until her untimely death from cancer in 1952 at the age of 59.
A Legacy That Lives On
Hattie McDaniel's legacy lives on in the hearts of those who followed in her footsteps. At the 2010 Academy Awards, Mo’Nique paid tribute to Hattie by wearing gardenias in her hair, just as Hattie did in 1940, when she accepted the Best Supporting Actress award for Precious. "I want to thank Ms. Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to," Mo’Nique said, "so that I would not have to."
