Sidney Poitier  (born February 20, 1927) is a Bahamian-American actor, film director, author, and diplomat.  In 1964, Poitier became the first Bahamian and first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, for his role in Lilies of the Field.  The significance of these achievements was bolstered in 1967, when he starred in three successful films, all of which dealt with issues involving race and race relations:  To Sir, with Love; In the Heat of the Night; and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, making him the top box-office star of that year.  In 1999, the American Film Institute named Poitier among the Greatest Male Stars of classic Hollywood cinema, ranking 22nd on the list of 25.  On August 12, 2009, Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama.  (More from Wikipedia)