Actor Sidney Poitier Celebrates His 92nd Birthday

Sidney Poitier LOS ANGELES - OCTOBER 23: Actor Sidney Poitier speaks at the Fulfillment Fund's Annual Stars Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel October 23, 2007 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) (Michael Buckner)

February 21, 2019 at 2:32 pm EST

Academy Award-winning actor Sidney Poitier is 92 today!

Poitier is a Bahamian-American actor, author, director, born in Miami, Florida, and raised in the Bahamas. He is known for being a key activist for civil rights with a big impact on American culture.

Sidney Poitier WASHINGTON - AUGUST 12: U.S. President Barack Obama (R) presents the Medal of Freedom to Academy Award-winning actor Sidney Poitier during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House August 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. Obama presented the medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States, to 16 recipients during the ceremony. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla)

Poitier broke down barriers for actors of color, and opened doors for black directors. He won the Golden Globes and an Emmy nomination for his movie "Lilies of the Field" (1963). Click here to read more about the star.