Black History Month was celebrated at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, but much like the month itself, it was way too brief. Sort of like the list of Black people winning Oscars, especially in relation to white folks.
Presented without comment:
In 2017: 18 Black nominees
In 2018: 13 Black nominees
In 2019: 15 Black nominees
In 2020: 5 Black noms #OscarsSoWhite #Oscars— Rashad Robinson (@rashadrobinson) February 10, 2020
And while South Korean Bong Joon-ho and his “Parasite” movie cleaned up at the Academy Awards Sunday night, please don’t be fooled: much of the rest of the ceremony fell right in line with the years-old-but-still-applicable hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite.
Only two Black people have ever been nominated for any of the Sound categories.
Willie D. Burton won in 1989 for Bird, and 2007 for Dreamgirls.
Russell Williams won in 1990 for Glory and 1991 for Dances with Wolves.#TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite #Oscars pic.twitter.com/qoFa8hzsoX
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
That fact was likely not lost on Color of Change, the nonprofit civil rights group that enlisted #OscarsSoWhite creator April Reign to live-tweet the Oscars with some timely statistics about Black people winning Academy Awards through the decades that the awards show has been around.
In its 92 year history, just 8 Black women have won Best Supporting Actress #Oscars:
Hattie McDaniel, 1940
Whoopi Goldberg, 1991
Jennifer Hudson, 2007
Mo’Nique, 2010
Octavia Spencer 2012
Lupita Nyong’o, 2014
Viola Davis, 2017
Regina King, 2019#TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/cUu3f7Eynf— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
That’s not to say that Sunday night was bereft of Blackness. Quite the contrary, Black folks were well represented at the Oscars — just not when it came to winning the awards.
Six Black men have been nominated for Best Director in the 92 year history of the #Oscars:
John Singleton
Lee Daniels
Steve McQueen
Barry Jenkins
Jordan Peele
Spike LeeNo Black woman has ever been nominated. No Black person has ever won. #TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/pO3ceBRIKu
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
The lone exception to that rule on Sunday night was “Hair Love,” which won Best Animated Short Film for a Black father who gains a better understanding of how to do his daughter’s hair and encourages her to embrace her natural coils.
And Janelle Monáe — who starred in “Harriet,” a movie for which Cynthia Erivo did not win Best Actress — made several statements with her singing as well as her voice of activism.
In the 92 year history of @TheAcademy, only one Black person has won in the Best Documentary Short Subject #Oscars:
Roger Ross Williams won in 2010 for Music by Prudence.
One Latinx person and two folks of Asian descent have won.#TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
At one point she said, “It’s time to come alive because the Oscars is so white.”
Janelle Monae on stage at the Oscars, surrounded by people dressed as characters from snubbed films: “It’s time to come alive because the Oscars is so white!” pic.twitter.com/bZMrffBcl9
— David Mack (@davidmackau) February 10, 2020
Later she said, “Tonight we celebrate all the amazing talent in this room.” We celebrate all the women who directed phenomenal films. And I’m so proud to stand here as a black queer artist telling stories. Happy Black History Month!”
Janelle Monae tonight “It’s time to come alive because the #Oscars is so white” and “I’m so proud to be standing here as a Black queer artist telling stories. Happy Black History Month !”
AND ALL THIS WITH ONLY BLACK DANCERS OMG WE STAN SO HARD
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH pic.twitter.com/cN7o9jWTsC
— OSCAR WINNER TAIKA WAITITI (@mischiefseries) February 10, 2020
Chris Rock also provided some necessary cultural levity when it came to the harsh realization that Black representation at the Oscars was still lacking despite the awards show being in its 92nd year.
Steve Martin: “Think how much the Oscars have changed in the past 92 years…back in 1929, there were no black acting nominees.”
Chris Rock: “And now in 2020, we got one.” https://t.co/NJ7Y0X0Wco #Oscars pic.twitter.com/R3vfruEEvn
— ABC News (@ABC) February 10, 2020
Cynthia Erivo is the 1st Black British actress to be nominated, the 2nd Black woman to receive multiple #Oscars noms in the same year, & the 3rd person nominated for an acting award & a music award (Best Original Song) in the same year. #EGOTWatch #TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/PtRyA5cbLM
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
“Cynthia Erivo did such a good job hiding Black people in Harriet, The Academy got her to hide all the Black nominees.” – Chris Rock #Oscars
— Broadway Black (@BroadwayBlack) February 10, 2020
“American Factory,” which won for Best Documentary Feature, was a product of Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher ground production company, which was noteworthy as well.
The Best Documentary Feature goes to American Factory, from @BarackObama and @MichelleObama‘s production company, Higher Ground. #TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/y2TS6jKPr9
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
But aside from those few and fleeting moments, Academy Awards viewers were left to accept the grim reality that there was hardly any Black representation at the Oscars, again.
Only two Black people have ever won the Best Documentary Feature #Oscars:
T.J. Martin was the 1st in 2013 for Undefeated.
Ezra Edelman was the 2nd in 2017 for O.J.: Made in America.
No Latinx folks or folks of Asian descent have ever won.#TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
Enter April Reign and Color of Change, which offered nuanced perspective by tweeting nothing but historical facts throughout the awards ceremony to bring attention to the lack of Black talent recognized and Black stories told in Hollywood on a consistent basis.
In the 92 year history of @TheAcademy, only two films that reflect aspects of the Black experience have won Best Picture #Oscars:
12 Years a Slave in 2014
and Moonlight in 2017. #TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/iuWTUVAWOc
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
With it being increasingly obvious that Hollywood is ignoring Black stories, other awards shows like the Urban One Honors have stepped in to decidedly fill that void in order to inject some semblance of diversity into the conversation surrounding entertainment awards shows.
Sidney Poitier is the:
First black man to win a competitive Oscar (Lilies of the Field).
First Bahamian to win Best Actor.
First Black actor to receive two acting nominations (Best Actor).
Youngest Black actor to win Best Actor (age 37).#TellBlackStories #OscarsSoWhite pic.twitter.com/FAtCYK8pqk
— ColorOfChange.org (@ColorOfChange) February 10, 2020
SEE ALSO:
The History Of Black Nationalist Women And Political Activism
Documentary About NHL’s First Black Player Coming To ESPN
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