Poitier dead at 94

Award winning actor and civil rights activist Sir Sidney Poitier has died.

The legendary actor, whose 71 year career included roles in classic films “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” passed away Thursday evening at the age of 94. No cause of death has been released as yet.

Poitier was Hollywood’s first Black movie star and the first Black man to win the ‘Best Actor’ Oscar, for 1963’s “Lilies of the Field”.

He was knighted in 1974 by Queen Elizabeth II.

A dual Bahamas and US citizen, he served as Ambassador to Japan for The Bahamas from 1997 to 2007.

In 2009 he was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom.