World famous, Bahamian born actor, Sir Sidney Poitier, was the youngest of seven children born to Mr. Reginald J. Poitier and Mrs. Evelyn Poitier of Cat Island. Reginald and Evelyn were planters.
Sir Sidney was unexpectedly born in Miami. Reginald and Evelyn Poitier were in Florida negotiating the sale of their Cat Island grown tomato crop. It was there baby Sidney was born quite prematurely. The rest as they say is history.
What is little known, is that Reginald James Poitier, was no small time sharecropper. They were hardworking, down to earth people for sure. Poitier was farmer and businessman.
Reginald Poitier was the largest tomato farmer in Cat Island. That doesn’t happen by mistake or chance. Large scale agricultural farming is a demanding business.
R. J. Poitier not only shipped his tomatoes to nearby Florida,. His company shipped to New York as well.
In 1924, Poitier would have been hoping to make at least $7 a crate.
This makes complete sense when one considers the determination and drive Sidney Poitier had to muster, as a fledgling actor, in New York.
Reginald J. Poitier was the largest tomato planter and had formed his own export company 1924
The people of cat Island are going into tomatoes this year on a larger scale than ever and a glut is expected. Mr R. J. Poitier, who is the largest planter, has formed a small company and the outlook is very bright. It is expected that they will be shipping to the New York market in three weeks time.
