Join us for a discussion of "The Queen of Sugar Hill" by ReShonda Tate.
Book Summary: It was supposed to be the highlight of her career, the pinnacle for which she'd worked all her life. And as Hattie McDaniel took the stage in 1940 to claim an honor that would make her the first African American woman to win an Academy Award, she tearfully took her place in history. This historic night was going to be life-changing, or so she thought. Months after her win, the “Oscar curse” set in. Hattie couldn't find work and found herself thrust between two worlds — Black and white — but she wasn't welcomed by either. Whites saw her only as “Mammy” and Blacks detested the demeaning portrayal. As the NAACP waged an all-out war against Hattie and others like her, the emotionally conflicted actor found herself struggling daily. Luckily, she had a core group of friends who helped and supported her. Hattie continued her fight to pave a path for Negro actors that is still felt today, all while navigating four failed marriages, focusing on war efforts, and fighting the housing discrimination that made her the very queen of Sugar Hill.
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