Discover the Unexpected: Top 11 Fun Facts About Trailblazing Actress Hattie McDaniel

1. Blues Queen of Radio

Before she was out here breaking stereotypes like they were old records, Hattie McDaniel was singing the blues – literally!: As a multitalented artist, McDaniel recorded 16 blues tracks from 1926 to 1929, becoming the first Black woman to perform on U.S. radio, and proving she could work her magic not only on screen but also on airwaves and television.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Show-stopping Voice

Hold on to your vocal cords, folks, because this leading lady had all the right notes: Hattie McDaniel not only broke barriers as an actress, but she also recorded 16 soul-stirring blues songs, making her the first Black woman to grace American radio waves with her show-stopping voice.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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=> Fun Facts about Michelangelo

3. Maid to Movie Star

From scrubbing floors to stealing scenes: Hattie McDaniel, the shining star who once paid her dues as a maid and restroom royalty, crooned her way through radio–and miles of film reel–to hit it big on the silver screen!
Source => abc7.com

4. Sisters' Girl Power Minstrel Show

Before "sisters doing it for themselves" was a thing, Hattie McDaniel and her sis had minstrelsy in the bag, giving 1914 audiences a much-needed taste of girl power: This dynamic duo delivered a witty, successful all-female minstrel show, with Hattie's hilarious "Mammy" character being a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the very same racist archetype that would later earn her an Oscar for "Gone with the Wind."
Source => vanityfair.com

5. Sitcom Pioneer

Slipping on a sitcom without slipping on laughs: Hattie McDaniel, first African American actress to star in a sitcom on ABC Television, made waves as Beulah from 1950 to 1953, boosting ratings and breaking barriers, all without a single recorded chuckle to back her up.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Defiant Oscar Winner

She played a maid but threw shade: Hattie McDaniel, who took home an Oscar in 1940 for her role in Gone with the Wind, unabashedly faced backlash from the Black community, stating, "I'd rather play a maid than be one."
Source => ask.com

7. Triple Threat Trailblazer

From paving way in Hollywood to perfecting the airwaves, Hattie McDaniel was cooking with dynamite and breaking glass ceilings way before it was even a thing: As the first African American to win an Oscar in 1940 for "Gone With the Wind," this trailblazer didn't stop there – she also became the first Black woman to sing on US radio and star in her own network radio show, "The Beulah Show," in 1947. Talk about a triple threat deluxe!
Source => washingtonpost.com

8. Talented McDaniel Marathon

They say talent runs in the family, but Hattie McDaniel's clan was more like a marathon of artistic prowess, complete with their own catchy soundtrack: As part of an entourage that included 14 siblings and a great-grandmother named Etta, Hattie dabbled in acting, songwriting, drumming up a beat (quite literally), and even charming the airwaves with her radio shows – leaving only the harp unconquered.
Source => mashable.com

9. Radio History Crooner

Before she was singing the blues about Rhett and Scarlett's shenanigans, Hattie McDaniel was crooning her way into radio history: She recorded 16 blues songs between 1926 and 1929 for Okeh Records and Paramount Records, making her one of the first Black women to sing on American radio, an achievement firmly secured alongside her iconic acting career.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Sister Act in Tinseltown

Talk about a family affair: it seems Tinseltown wasn't big enough for just one McDaniel sibling strutting their stuff on the silver screen! The serious scoop: Hattie McDaniel's sister, Etta McDaniel, was also a talented actress who graced the films The Green Pastures and Cabin in the Sky with her skills.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Family Affair: Heroes & Mammies

Mammy dearest, dinner and a show: Hattie McDaniel and her siblings were not only talented entertainers, performing plays and reviews for Denver's Black community, but also played a key role in securing their father's Union army pension and disability payments, despite the challenges posed by the racist "Mammy" archetype that Hattie would come to defy in her groundbreaking career.
Source => vanityfair.com