“They call me Mister Tibbs!” — a line that will forever echo in the annals of cinematic history. This iconic declaration from Sidney Poitier in the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night remains etched in our collective memory. But to those who know him personally, the legendary actor is simply “Papa.” Godson Mike Jordan affectionately shares with Closer, “Most of us just call him Papa. Every once in a while, we joke and call him Big Sid.”
At 93 years old, Sidney Poitier continues to inspire with his grace and dignity. “It’s always fascinating when we go out in public,” Mike recalls. “Even toddlers who don’t know who he is can sense that he’s someone special.” Despite his larger-than-life status, Sidney remains grounded. “He’s exactly who you think he is,” Mike adds with a laugh, “except he curses a little more than you’d expect — but it’s always done with that same dignified air.”
A Humble Beginning on Cat Island
Dignity has been the cornerstone of Sidney’s character since his earliest days growing up on Cat Island in the Bahamas. Born the youngest of seven children, Sidney lived in a home without electricity or running water. Yet, his parents instilled in him values far more precious than material comforts. “My dad was a remarkable man, a good person, a principled individual, a man of integrity,” Sidney reflects. “And my mother? She was the most amazing person I’ve ever known. All that I am, I owe to her.”
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Confronting Racism in America
Life changed dramatically for Sidney when he moved to the United States at the age of 15. Growing up in the Bahamas, race was never an issue for him. “I didn’t think about the color of my skin,” Sidney explains. “Not any more than I would have bothered to wonder why the sand was white or the sky was blue.” However, upon arriving in Miami, the realities of racism hit him hard. “Nothing had prepared me to surrender my pride and self-regard sufficiently to accept the humiliations,” he says. One incident stands out vividly: after refusing to deliver a package to the back door of a wealthy home, the Ku Klux Klan came looking for him. But Sidney wasn’t intimidated. “Fear, doubt, and desperation are very real forces,” he acknowledges. “And the only way to deal with them is to stand up to them.”
From Dishwasher to Stage Performer
Sidney moved to New York City and began working as a dishwasher at a restaurant. It was there he saw an advertisement for a theater group and decided to audition. Unfortunately, his thick Bahamian accent got in the way, and he was rejected. Determined not to fail, Sidney embarked on a journey of self-improvement. With the help of an elderly Jewish waiter, he learned to read despite having only a year-and-a-half of formal education. He practiced speaking proper English by listening to newscasters on the radio and mimicking their speech. When he auditioned again, he landed a role, and his acting career was born.
A Career Built on Principle
In 1950, Sidney married model and dancer Juanita Hardy. “I had faith in myself and faith in the future — enough of each to marry a beautiful young girl,” he recalls. Their first daughter was born two years later, during a time when Sidney was still struggling to make ends meet. “Times were so tough that I used to take milk from the restaurant home for my kid,” he reminisces. Yet, despite the challenges, Sidney remained steadfast in his commitment to dignity. “The work I did would never bring dishonor to my father’s name,” he vowed, turning down roles he deemed undignified.
