Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. "The true measure of a man is in how he provided for his children" this was one lesson Sidney learnt from his father and held dear to his heart all his life. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living shows who one is, Poitier chose to play forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.
Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life, Poitier aimed to honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters.and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life. Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. He explores elements of character and personal values to take his own measure as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.
In this memoir, Poitier, looks back on his celebrated life and career. On January 26, 2007, Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club. We will not stop doing the long hard work to achieve this future.The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography is an autobiographical work by Sidney Poitier. The true measure of justice is not in a verdict, but in making a future where people don’t live in fear of racialized violence.
#The true measure of a man free#
We join them in re-imagining a future where Black people can thrive free of police violence or vigilantism. Across the country, we see local and grassroots organizations leading the fight for this transformation.
We need meaningful systemic transformation.
The killing of Ahmaud Arbery is a continuation of America’s history of inflicting violence on Black people attempting to attain education, own businesses and homes, and move through the world peacefully. We continue to mourn the tragic killing of Ahmaud Arbery. “Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan were found guilty of the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black man killed by two white civilians while jogging in broad daylight. The attack became part of national reckoning on racial injustice and the ACLU said Wednesday’s conviction underscores the transformation our nation has yet to see. The jury deliberated for about 10 hours before convicting Greg McMichael, son Travis McMichael and neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan of killing Arbery, the Black man who was chased and fatally shot while running through his neighborhood. (WLBT) - American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi issued a statement in response to Wednesday’s murder conviction(s) of the three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery.