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Hattie McDaniel

A prolific performer whose historic Oscar win coexisted with the racist limitations of roles available to Black actors.

Why they matter

McDaniel was the first Black person to win an Academy Award, while her career remains inseparable from debates over stereotype, access, and representation.

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Gone with the WindIn This Our LifeSince You Went Away

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Films in the collection

1 connected title in the current build.

1939 · Epic drama

Gone with the Wind

A technically monumental Civil War-era epic whose enduring popularity is inseparable from criticism of its romanticized portrayal of slavery and the Confederacy.