Hattie McDaniel, she was a radio, film, and television star best known for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind. She was the first black woman to sing on American radio.
In 1940, she became Hollywood’s first African American Oscar winner for her role as Mammy. McDaniel was allowed into the Oscars no blacks hotel as a favour.
McDaniel faced racial discrimination and limited roles throughout her career. Despite these challenges, she pioneered Hollywood and American entertainment.
Hattie McDaniel wanted to be buried at Hollywood Cemetery, now Hollywood Forever Cemetery, but the owner, Jules Roth, did not allow black people to be buried there, so she was buried at Rosedale. The new owners of Hollywood Forever offered to reinter McDaniel in 1999, but the family did not want to disturb her remains, so a cenotaph was placed there to honour her last wish.
