'A Biography of Sidney Poitier\r'

'In 1967, a press conference with Sidney Poitier, at that age unmatchable of the most successful and popular American actors and certainly the most famous African-American actor, dour from his m each roles on screen and stage and became something else entirely.Due to a rash of racial riots across the nation at that time, Poitier was asked pointed questions concerning whether or non he was in prefer of the racial riots, his theories on segregation, and other racially orient topics (Goudsouzian).It was at that point that something happened which changed the course of Poitier’s breeding as well as the role of African-Americans everywhere- alternatively than avoid the question, turn the focus back to his fame or storm off in a rage, Poitier came to the realisation that it was impossible for him to separate his status as an sport icon from his obligation to use his fame to advance the crap of minority rights in America.  Since then, Poitier has done just that.This q uestion will discuss Aram Goudsouzian’s pivotal 2004 account of Sidney Poitier, not scarce as a check into of this platter, solely also in an effort to stress to better understand how and wherefore Poitier has become one of the most influential African Americans since the end of gracious War.Author’s PurposeWhen assembleing a better understanding of why Goudsouzian chose Poitier as the subject of his book, one not only when gains an understanding of the author’s purpose in writing the book, exactly also a delay of the major social and historical relinquishs that are tackled by dint of a book which is biographical at its core, solely becomes more more expansive as it unfolds.First, one must realize that Goudsouzian is not a biographer by nature, but in fact is a account writer, which is why Poitier was chosen as the subject of the book.By choosing a pivotal historic African-American who bridges the pause between the façade of Hollywood and the r eal gentlemans gentleman of the urban streets of the nation, Goudsouzian has been able to tell not only the story of the struggles of an am arcsecondious African-American man climax of age in the racially charged mid-fifties and 1960s, but also of a man who parlayed his fame not into a mere vehicle for his own enrichment, but to try to aid and support his entire race.Goudsouzian’s Central ThemeEarlier, the point was make that Goudsouzian’s book is much more than biography or history, but is rather a powerful combination of the two.  feel beyond this assertion, it is also interesting to explore the primordial theme of the book, which can picturesquely be identify in one word-perseverance.For Poitier, perseverance has meant the constant jump of hurdles, placed in front of him by a society which still wrestles with the issue of equality for African-Americans, thus far decades after the strife which advanced African-Americans significantly, and almost a century and a half after a bloody Civil War which settled the issue of African-American freedom once and for all.  For African-Americans in general, it would await that Goudsouzian paints perseverance as a struggle to gain equal footing with the mainstream of America.This being said, however, a fair critique of Goudsouzian’s approach is in order.  It would search that the author is too quick to always show Poitier, and African-Americans as perpetual underdogs who never gain any significant ground.However, in truth, much progress has been made in cause of racial equality, while belongings in mind of course that there is much progress yet to come.  Goudsouzian could have presented a bit more of a balance in his contrast.\r\n'