>> in an interview with the new york times in 1980 night, sidney poitier, discussed what it was like to be america's first black actor on the long road to winning an oscar he said, during the period when i was the only person here, no bill cosby, no eddie murphy, no denzel washington, i was carrying the hopes and aspirations of an entire people. i had no control over content. no creative leverage except to refuse to do a film, which i often did. i had to satisfy the action fans, the romantic fans, the intellectual fence. it was a terrific burden. i had the honor of meeting sidney poitier a few times i've group dinners. and i knew maryland bergman, but you didn't have to know these people to love them. and that love began with the love we share for their work. one thing i know that they all share is a belief in the ideals by sidney poitier, in august of