29+ Hattie McDaniel Quotes (Groundbreaking, Iconic And Charismatic)

Hattie McDaniel was an American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian. She was the first African American to win an Academy Award for her performance in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. McDaniel was also the first African American to host a national radio show and to perform on the Las Vegas Strip.

Top 10 Hattie McDaniel Quotes

1. As for those grapefruit and buttermilk diets, I'll take roast chicken and dumplings.
2. Putting a little time aside for clean fun and good humor is very necessary to relieve the tensions of our time.
3. I've played everything but a harp.
4. I sincerely hope that I shall always be a credit to my race, and to the motion picture industry.
5. I'm letting no man handle my bank account.
6. Faith is the black person's federal reserve system.
7. We all respect sincerity in our friends and acquaintances, but Hollywood is willing to pay for it.
8. Every actor and actress is possessed of the absorbing passion to create something distinctive and unique.
9. When I was little, my mother taught me how to use a fork and knife. The trouble is that Mother forget to teach me how to stop using them!
10. That's a powerful lucky rabbit's foot. I got the part in Gone With the Wind because of it. I got my Warner contract, thanks to it.

Hattie McDaniel Short Quotes

• You can best fight any existing evil from the inside.
• A woman's gifts will make room for her.
• I always have the best of everything.
• Bob Hope, Red Skelton, and Eddie Cantor... help us keep our balance.
• I did my best, and God did the rest.
• I'd rather play a maid than be one.
• The entire race is usually judged by the actions of one man or woman.
• Playing the Mammy of Miss Leigh was just about the biggest thrill I've ever had.
• I am loathe to get married again. I've been married enough; I just prefer to forget it.
• I don't belong on this earth. I always feel out of place - like a visitor.

Hattie McDaniel Famous Quotes And Sayings

My desire for the part of Mammy was not dominated by selfishness for Hollywood has been good to me and I am grateful. — Hattie McDaniel

Always remember this: There are only eighteen inches between a pat on the back and a kick in the rump. — Hattie McDaniel

Why should I complain about making $700 a week playing a maid? If I didn't, I'd be making $7 a week being one. — Hattie McDaniel

The only choice permitted us is either to be servants for $7 a week or to portray them for $700 per week. — Hattie McDaniel

I'd rather make $700 a week playing a maid than earn $7 a day being a maid. — Hattie McDaniel

When I was 8 years old, I knew what I was going to be—an actress. — Hattie McDaniel

What is the thing that Hollywood demands most? Sincerity. No place in the world will pay such a high price for this admirable trait. — Hattie McDaniel

In playing the part of Mammy, I tried to make her a living, breathing character, the way she appeared to me in the book. — Hattie McDaniel

It sure looks good to see an honest-to-goodness audience after looking at you all for so long from the silver screen. — Hattie McDaniel

Life Lessons by Hattie McDaniel

1. Hattie McDaniel was a pioneering African American actress who overcame racism and adversity to become the first African American to win an Academy Award. She demonstrated that hard work and dedication can pay off, no matter what obstacles you face.
2. She also showed that it is possible to make a name for yourself in the entertainment industry, even when the odds are stacked against you.
3. By refusing to be limited by her race, Hattie McDaniel's legacy serves as an important reminder of the power of perseverance and resilience.