Hattie McDaniel was an American stage actress, professional singer-songwriter and comedian. In 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American performer to win an Academy Award for her portrayal of a loyal slave governess in Gone with the Wind. IN addition to acting in many films, McDaniel recorded 16 blues sides between 1926 and 1929. She is also noted as being the first African American woman to sing on radio in the United States. Hattie McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.