Sidney Poitier and Juanita Hardy married in 1950 after dating for three months, according to Who’s Dated Who, and raised a family in Stuyvesant, New York along the Hudson River. The couple had four daughters: Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, and Gina. In 1959, Poitier entered an affair with actor Diahann Carroll after the two met on the set of “Porgy and Bess.”
Carroll was also married at the time, but their friendship quickly turned romantic and the affair lasted for nine years, per AmoMama. An agreement was made between the two to end their marriages, but only Carroll acted on the pact initially. Poitier felt a responsibility to his young daughters and stayed put for several more years to care for them. After 14 years of marriage, Hardy and Poitier divorced in 1965.
Despite Poitier and Carrol’s compatible relationship status, the two also called it quits in 1967. As for Hardy, she has stayed out of the spotlight and media since the marriage. A LinkedIn page for Hardy shares that she attended Livingstone College and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics, later doing graduate studies at George Washington University. She is the “Founder and Managing principal of Tiger Management Consulting Group,” and with 45 years of business experience, has been a nonprofit leader, collector, and an IBM professional.
It is clear her time and love with Poitier will always be significant, no matter how distant the memory.
