Hollywood trailblazer Sidney Poitier dies at 94

Actor was the first black man to win Best Actor in the history of the Academy Awards

Oscar-winning actor Sir Sidney Poitier has died at the age of 94. Reuters

Sidney Poitier was the first black man to win a Best Actor Oscar in the history of the Academy Awards. He is pictured here with Sydney Tamiia Poitier at the Oscars in 2014. Getty Images

Barack Obama, the US president at the time, presents the Medal of Freedom to Sidney Poitier during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in 2009. Getty Images

Sidney Poitier poses for a portrait in 1980. Getty Images

Sidney Poitier dancing with his wife Joanna Shimkus at Studio 54 in 1979. Getty Images

Sidney Poitier on the set of his 1974 comedy, 'Uptown Saturday Night'. Getty Images

Bahamian American actor Sidney Poitier holding his Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 'Lilies Of The Field', directed by Ralph Nelson, at the 36th Academy Awards ceremony, 13th April 1964. The ceremony was held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Sidney Poitier poses against a background of New York apartment buildings in Central Park in 1964. Getty Images

Actors, left to right, Harry Belafonte, Charlton Heston, Burt Lancaster and Sidney Poitier attending the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a civil rights rally in Washington, in 1963. Getty Images

Sidney Poitier on the set of the movie 'Lilies of the Field' in 1963, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Getty Images

Sidney Poitier, who became the first black man to win a Best Actor Oscar, has died at the age of 94.

The news was announced by Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, Eyewitness News Bahamas reported.

The Bahamian-American actor was best known for films such as Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night and Lilies of the Field.

His first leading role in a film was in 1955's Blackboard Jungle, and his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor was for his leading role The Defiant Ones (1958), which was also the first time a black actor was nominated for a leading role.

He won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Lilies of the Field in 1963.

When American actor Denzel Washington became the second black man to win Best Actor for his role in the 2001 film Training Day, Poitier was honoured with an Academy Award for his achievement in cinema the same night.

During his acceptance speech, Washington said of Poitier: “Forty years I've been chasing Sidney. They finally give it to me and what do they do? They give [an award] to him the same night.

"I’ll always be chasing you, Sidney. I’ll always be following in your footsteps. There’s nothing I would rather do, sir."

Poitier's career helped pave the way for black actors in the US, especially during a time when parts of America had laws enforcing racial segregation. He was the frequent recipient of acting honours and achievement awards throughout his life.

He retired from acting in 2001.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest US civilian honour, by Presdint Barack Obama in 2009.

Tributes for the star have poured in since the news broke.