Hattie McDaniel {1895-1952} began her career touring with vaudeville companies, musical ensembles, and minstrel shows, including one run by her father. McDaniel arrived in Hollywood in 1931 and soon began to appear in films. For her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind {1939}, she became the first African American to win an Academy Award. She was also the first African-American woman to star on a network radio show, as Beulah, a maid. Criticized for playing stereotypical roles, McDaniel worked behind the scenes to battle racial discrimination.