Sidney Poitier

My work has always been about more than just entertainment.

I wanted to show the world that black people are capable of anything.

I never let the negativity get to me. I always focused on the positive.

I believe in the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity.

We all have a role to play in making the world a better place.

My legacy is not just about my films, but about the lives I've touched.

I hope that my work has inspired others to pursue their dreams.

The greatest gift you can give is to be yourself.

Love is the most powerful force in the universe.

Never give up on what you believe in.

A good character is something you must make for yourself. It cannot be inherited from parents. It must be built by your own efforts.

I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; to resign myself to the fact that I had no control over life; to stop complaining about it, to get on with it.

I've always had a special place in my heart for movies about kids, because they're usually about hope.

The idea of using a black man as a lead in a movie was almost unheard of.

Life is a series of defining moments, some good, some bad.

I had learned to live without it, but now I couldn't imagine life without movies.

Racism is very stupid because it means you're being ugly to someone for no reason.

My father was the most rational man I ever knew.

Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.

I cannot be a poster boy for black America. I am who I am.