Richard Roundtree Personally Owned Honorary Doctor of Performing Arts Degree and Graduation Hood From Southern Illinois University - This is Richard Roundtree's personally owned Honorary Doctor of Performing Arts degree from Southern Illinois University, which is was awarded in 2018. The lot also includes the dark red velvet and red, white and black satin doctor hood from his cap and gown, made by Herff Jones. Richard Roundtree was best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and four of its sequels. Considered as "the first Black action hero", Roundtree was credited with having an impact on the rise of African American leading actors in Hollywood projects, thanks to his successful performances in the genre. Over his five decades as an actor, he has appeared in some 160 film and television projects, sharing the screen with actors including Clint Eastwood, Peter O'Toole, Laurence Olivier, Samuel L. Jackson, and Brad Pitt, and received numerous awards, such as an MTV Lifetime Achievement Award, a Peabody Award, and a Black Theater Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award. This item comes directly from the Roundtree Trust.