Poitier was born in Miami , Florida , USA and grew up with his family on remote Cat Island , in the Bahamas . His mother was called Evelyn and his father was called Reginald James Poitier . Poitier was born in Miami , Florida , where his Bahamian parents , Evelyn ( nÃ e Outten ) and Reginald James Poitier , traveled to sell tomatoes and other produce from their farm on Cat Island .