In 1940, Hattie McDaniel made history by becoming the first African American to win an Academy Award. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role as 'Mammy' in 'Gone with the Wind.' However, the victory was bittersweet due to the racial segregation of the era. The ceremony was held at the Ambassador Hotel’s Coconut Grove, which had a strict 'no-blacks' policy. The film's producer, David O. Selznick, had to call in a special favor just to allow McDaniel into the building. Even then, she was not permitted to sit at the 'Gone with the Wind' table with her co-stars Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh; instead, she was seated at a small table against a far wall. Despite these indignities, her acceptance speech was gracious, stating she hoped she would always be a credit to her race and the motion picture industry. It would be another 24 years before a Black man (Sidney Poitier) would win an acting Oscar.