Cicely Tyson commented in a TCM interview that director Martin Ritt's cinematographer (principal cameraman), while shooting the famous "homecoming sequence" with Tyson and co-star Paul Winfield, was so moved by their performances that he was certain he missed framing the action properly in the shots and respectfully asked them to do the difficult scene again. They obliged, but later examination of daily rushes revealed that they got shot and acting perfect the first time, and the first take was a print.
The first film to feature Oscar-nominated performances by two black actors with Paul Winfield nominated for Best Actor and Cicely Tyson for Best Actress. This feat wouldn't be achieved again until What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) 21 years later. The third film to achieve this was Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) 27 years later.
In 2003, ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney (1997) produced a new TV version of Sounder (2003). Kevin Hooks directed, and Paul Winfield played the teacher. (It was one of Winfield's last roles before his death in 2004.)
With this film, Lonne Elder III became the first African-American and person of color to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Elder is also the first African-American and person of color to be nominated for screenwriting in general, along with Suzanne De Passe nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Lady Sings the Blues (1972) the same year.