The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate.

Hattie McDaniel walked away with an Oscar for her role in Gone With The Wind which should have opened all the doors for roles but instead she was shunned by her own people for not fighting more and still banned by the white studios from getting anything other than a maid or bit character roles. Fight she did for racial equality in the studio, in her segregated Sugar Hill neighborhood and government. Hattie was unlucky in love and never had the long term marriage and houseful of children she longed for. In the Golden Age of Hollywood where your secret (or rumor of one) let out by Hedda Harper could cost you everything Hattie still spoke up for what she believed in. Even her good friend and chief supporter Clark Gable could not break the racial ceiling in Hollywood. Much praise to the author who did justice to Hattie McDaniel's incredible story that has until now remained mostly ignored. Recommended for readers of those stars who suffered from inequity in Hollywood such as THE BRIGHTEST STAR by Gail Tsukiyama or Jamie Ford's THE MANY DAUGHTERS OF AFONG MOY. ​ 4 stars