Courage Assignment
6/9/2010
Kaplan University

Courage is a characteristic that every person successful individual displays. Life can present with many difficult challenges. Courage is demonstrated when an individual exhibits the strength to endure, persevere and withstand life’s difficult challenges and pave the way for other individuals. Sydney Poitier is a Bahamian American male who has paved the way for many individuals though his courage. He has demonstrated courage in many different ways. Mr. Poitier was born in an era that was very difficult for people with dark complexions. A native of the Bahamas, Mr. Poitier came to the U.S at the age of 15 were he first encountered racism. He lived in Miami in poverty until the age of 18. At the age of 18 he moved to New York to pursue a career in acting after servicing a year in the army. In New York, Mr. Poitier was met with a life of more poverty and homelessness. Mr. Poitier faced many challenge on his way to the top. Some of the challenge he face were racism, rejection for being different, poverty and homelessness. The financial, living and racial overtone issues Mr. Poitier faced didn’t stop him from his pursue of happiness. On the first audience at the African American Theatre, Mr. Poitier was rejected because of his heavy accent but he didn’t let this shortcoming blind him from his true talent and abilities. He dedicated six month after the first audience to focus on controlling his Bahamian accent. On the second audience at the African American Theatre, he was accepted. He was spotted in a rehearsal and was given his first big part in a Broadway production of "Lysistrata," for which he got excellent reviews. Mr. Poitier’s courage has positioned him to be the first black actor to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963, the recipient of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous other awards and honors. Sidney Poitier was faced with difficult life challenges but because of his courage and persistence, his life’s challenges did not get the best him.

Reference
Sidney Poitier Biography. (2011). Retrieved june 9, 2011, from Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/articles/Sidney-Poitier-9443345