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List of black Academy Award winners and nominees facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
1941hattie
Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Academy Award, in 1940.

This list of Black Academy Award winners and nominees is fully current as the 95th Academy Awards, which was held on March 12, 2023.

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Year Name Film Role Status Milestone / Notes
1958 Sidney Poitier The Defiant Ones Noah Cullen Nominated First Black actor to be nominated for Best Actor.
1963 Lilies of the Field Homer Smith Won First Black man to win a competitive Oscar.
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).
1970 James Earl Jones The Great White Hope Jack Jefferson Nominated
1972 Paul Winfield Sounder Nathan Lee Morgan Nominated First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
1986 Dexter Gordon Round Midnight Dale Turner Nominated First jazz musician to be nominated for Best Actor.
1989 Morgan Freeman Driving Miss Daisy Hoke Colburn Nominated
1992 Denzel Washington Malcolm X Malcolm X Nominated
1993 Laurence Fishburne What's Love Got to Do with It Ike Turner Nominated Second film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
1994 Morgan Freeman The Shawshank Redemption Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding Nominated
1999 Denzel Washington The Hurricane Rubin Carter Nominated
2001 Training Day Alonzo Harris Won Second African-American actor to receive the award for Best Actor.
First time two African-American performers won Oscars in the same year (Halle Berry, Monster's Ball).
First African-American actor to win multiple competitive Academy Awards.
First and only African-American actor to win Academy Awards in both acting categories (lead and supporting).
Will Smith Ali Muhammad Ali Nominated First time multiple African-American actors nominated for Best Actor in the same year.
2004 Jamie Foxx Ray Ray Charles Won First African-American to receive two acting nominations in the same year.
Don Cheadle Hotel Rwanda Paul Rusesabagina Nominated
2005 Terrence Howard Hustle & Flow DJay Nominated
2006 Forest Whitaker The Last King of Scotland Idi Amin Won
Will Smith The Pursuit of Happyness Chris Gardner Nominated
2009 Morgan Freeman Invictus Nelson Mandela Nominated
2012 Denzel Washington Flight William "Whip" Whitaker Nominated
2013 Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup Nominated First Black British actor to be nominated for Best Actor.
2016 Denzel Washington Fences Troy Maxson Nominated First Black actor to direct himself to an Oscar nomination (for acting only).
First Black actor to be nominated for both acting and producing (Best Picture) in the same year.
2017 Roman J. Israel, Esq. Roman J. Israel Nominated Denzel Washington is the first African-American actor to be nominated two years in a row.
Daniel Kaluuya Get Out Chris Washington Nominated Second Black British actor to be nominated for Best Actor.
2020 Chadwick Boseman Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Levee Green Nominated First African-American actor to receive a posthumous nomination.
Third film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
2021 Will Smith King Richard Richard Williams Won Second Black actor, and ninth overall, to be nominated for both acting and producing (Best Picture) in the same year.
Denzel Washington The Tragedy of Macbeth Lord Macbeth Nominated Denzel Washington has the most nominations for an African-American actor: Best Actor (7 nominations) and Best Supporting Actor (2 nominations).
First African-American actor to receive a nomination for their performance in a Shakespeare adaptation.
2023 Colman Domingo Rustin Bayard Rustin Nominated First gay Black and Afro-Latino actor to be nominated for Best Actor.
Jeffrey Wright American Fiction Thelonious "Monk" Ellison Nominated First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Year Name Film Role Status Milestone / Notes
1954 Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Carmen Jones Nominated First African-American actress to be nominated for Best Actress.
1972 Diana Ross Lady Sings the Blues Billie Holiday Nominated First African-American actress to receive an Academy Award nomination for a debut film performance.
First time multiple African-American actresses received Best Actress nominations.
Cicely Tyson Sounder Rebecca Morgan Nominated First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
First time multiple African-American actresses received Best Actress nominations.
1974 Diahann Carroll Claudine Claudine Nominated
1985 Whoopi Goldberg The Color Purple Celie Johnson Nominated Debut film performance.
First time multiple African-American actresses received nominations for the same film for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
1993 Angela Bassett What's Love Got to Do with It Tina Turner Nominated Second film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
2001 Halle Berry Monster's Ball Leticia Musgrove Won First African-American actress to win Best Actress.
First person of color to win Best Actress.
First time two African-American performers won Oscars in the same year (Denzel Washington, Training Day).
2009 Gabourey Sidibe Precious Claireece "Precious" Jones Nominated Debut film performance.
Second film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
2011 Viola Davis The Help Aibileen Clark Nominated Second African-American actress to receive acting nominations in the lead and supporting categories after Whoopi Goldberg.
Third film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actress and Supporting Actress categories.
2012 Quvenzhané Wallis Beasts of the Southern Wild Hushpuppy Nominated Debut film performance.
At age 9, youngest ever Best Actress nominee.
First person born in the 21st century to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2016 Ruth Negga Loving Mildred Loving Nominated First Black Irish actress to be nominated.
First Black African (Ethiopia) actress to be nominated for Lead Actress.
2019 Cynthia Erivo Harriet Harriet Tubman Nominated First Black British actress to be nominated.
Second Black woman to receive multiple Oscar nominations in the same year.
Third person nominated for an acting award and a music award (Best Original Song) in the same year.
First Nigerian to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2020 Viola Davis Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Ma Rainey Nominated Most nominated African-American actress, with four nominations.
First Black actress to receive two nominations for Best Actress.
Third film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress.
Second time multiple African-American actresses received Best Actress nominations.
Andra Day The United States vs. Billie Holiday Billie Holiday Nominated Second time multiple African-American actresses received Best Actress nominations.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Year Name Film Role Status Milestone / Notes
1969 Rupert Crosse The Reivers Ned Nominated First African-American actor to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
1981 Howard Rollins Ragtime Coalhouse Walker Jr. Nominated Debut film performance.
1982 Louis Gossett Jr. An Officer and a Gentleman Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley Won First African-American actor to win Best Supporting Actor.
1984 Adolph Caesar A Soldier's Story Sgt. Waters Nominated
1987 Morgan Freeman Street Smart Fast Black Nominated First time multiple African-American actors received Best Supporting Actor nominations.
Denzel Washington Cry Freedom Steve Biko Nominated
1989 Glory Pvt. Trip Won First African-American actor to receive two Best Supporting Actor nominations.
1992 Jaye Davidson The Crying Game Dil Nominated Debut film performance.
Youngest Black actor to receive an Academy Award nomination (age 24)
First Black British actor to receive an Academy Award nomination.
First out Black actor to receive an Academy Award nomination.
1994 Samuel L. Jackson Pulp Fiction Jules Winnfield Nominated
1996 Cuba Gooding Jr. Jerry Maguire Rod Tidwell Won Youngest African-American male actor to win an Academy Award (age 29).
1999 Michael Clarke Duncan The Green Mile John Coffey Nominated
2003 Djimon Hounsou In America Mateo Nominated First Black actor born in Africa (specifically in Benin) to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2004 Morgan Freeman Million Dollar Baby Eddie 'Scrap-Iron' Dupris Won Oldest African-American actor to win an Academy Award (age 67).
Jamie Foxx Collateral Max Nominated First African-American to receive two acting nominations in the same year.
2006 Djimon Hounsou Blood Diamond Solomon Vandy Nominated
Eddie Murphy Dreamgirls James 'Thunder' Early Nominated First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
2013 Barkhad Abdi Captain Phillips Abduwali Muse Nominated Debut film performance.
Second Black actor born in Africa (specifically in Somalia) to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2016 Mahershala Ali Moonlight Juan Won Second film to feature Black nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
First Muslim actor to win an Oscar.
First time two African-American performers won in supporting role Oscars in the same year (Viola Davis, Fences).
2018 Green Book Don Shirley Won Second time two African-American performers won supporting role Oscars in the same year (Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk).
First African-American actor to win two Oscars in the same category.
Second African-American actor to win multiple competitive Academy Awards.
2020 Daniel Kaluuya Judas and the Black Messiah Fred Hampton Won First Black British actor to win an acting Oscar.
First Black British actor to receive multiple Academy Award nominations.
First film to have multiple black actors to be nominated in the same category for the same film.
Lakeith Stanfield William O'Neal Nominated First film to have multiple black actors to be nominated in the same category for the same film.
Leslie Odom Jr. One Night in Miami... Sam Cooke Nominated First African-American man to receive Academy Award nominations in the same year for acting and songwriting.
Fourth person overall, third Black person, and first Black man nominated for an Academy Award for acting and songwriting in the same year.
2022 Brian Tyree Henry Causeway James Aucoin Nominated
2023 Sterling K. Brown American Fiction Clifford "Cliff" Ellison Nominated First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Year Name Film Role Status Milestone / Notes
1939 Hattie McDaniel Gone with the Wind Mammy Won First African American to win and be nominated for an Academy Award.
1949 Ethel Waters Pinky Mrs. Dicey Johnson (Pinky's Granny) Nominated Second African American to be nominated for an Academy Award.
1959 Juanita Moore Imitation of Life Annie Johnson Nominated
1967 Beah Richards Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Mrs. Prentice Nominated
1983 Alfre Woodard Cross Creek Geechee Nominated
1985 Margaret Avery The Color Purple Shug Avery Nominated First time multiple African-American actresses from the same film are nominated in the same category.
First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
Winfrey's debut film performance.
Oprah Winfrey Sofia Nominated
1990 Whoopi Goldberg Ghost Oda Mae Brown Won First African-American actress to receive two acting nominations.
First African-American actress to receive acting nominations in the lead and supporting categories.
Second African-American actress to win Best Supporting Actress.
1996 Marianne Jean-Baptiste Secrets & Lies Hortense Cumberbatch Nominated First Black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2002 Queen Latifah Chicago Matron Mama Morton Nominated First female hip hop artist to be nominated for an Academy Award.
2004 Sophie Okonedo Hotel Rwanda Tatiana Rusesabagina Nominated Second Black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination.
2006 Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls Effie White Won Debut film performance.
Youngest African-American to win an Academy Award (age 25)
First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
2007 Ruby Dee American Gangster Mama Lucas Nominated At age 83, oldest African-American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award.
2008 Viola Davis Doubt Mrs. Miller Nominated First time two films have Black performers nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year.
Taraji P. Henson The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Queenie Nominated First time two films to have Black performers to be nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year.
2009 Mo'Nique Precious Mary Lee Johnston Won Second film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.
2011 Octavia Spencer The Help Minny Jackson Won Third film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actress and Supporting Actress.
2013 Lupita Nyong'o 12 Years a Slave Patsey Won Debut film performance.
First Black African (Kenyan) actress to be nominated.
First Black African to win in any category.
First Black Mexican to be nominated and win in any category.
First Afro-Latina actress to be nominated and win an Academy Award.
2016 Viola Davis Fences Rose Maxson Won First time two African-American performers won in supporting role Oscars in the same year (Mahershala Ali, Moonlight).
Naomie Harris Moonlight Paula Nominated Third Black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination.
Second film to feature Black nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
Octavia Spencer Hidden Figures Dorothy Vaughan Nominated Third Black actress following Whoopi Goldberg and Viola Davis to earn multiple Oscar nominations.
First Black actress to be nominated after previously winning.
First time three films have Black performers nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year.
2017 The Shape of Water Zelda Fuller Nominated First Black actress to be nominated twice after previously winning.
First Black actress to be nominated two years in a row.
Mary J. Blige Mudbound Florence Jackson Nominated First Black woman to receive multiple Oscar nominations in the same year.
First person nominated for an acting award and a music award (Best Original Song) in the same year.
2018 Regina King If Beale Street Could Talk Sharon Rivers Won Second time two African-American performers won supporting Oscars in the same year (Mahershala Ali, Green Book).
2021 Ariana DeBose West Side Story Anita Won First Black, African-American, Afro-Latina queer actress to be nominated and win in any acting category.
Aunjanue Ellis King Richard Oracene "Brandy" Price Nominated
2022 Angela Bassett Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Queen Ramonda Nominated First actor nominated for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film.
First actress nominated for a comic book film.
Third African-American actress to receive acting nominations in the lead and supporting categories after Whoopi Goldberg and Viola Davis.
Fourth Black actress to be nominated twice.
2023 Da'Vine Joy Randolph The Holdovers Mary Lamb Won
Danielle Brooks The Color Purple Sofia Nominated

Best Animated Feature

Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
2018 Peter Ramsey Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Won Shared with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Bob Persichetti & Rodney Rothman
First African American to be nominated for and to win for Animated Feature.
2023 Kemp Powers Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Nominated Shared with Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal.

Best Cinematography

Academy Award for Best Cinematography
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1998 Remi Adefarasin Elizabeth Nominated First Black person to be nominated for Best Cinematography.
2016 Bradford Young Arrival Nominated First African American to be nominated in the category.

Best Costume Design

Academy Award for Best Costume Design
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1992 Ruth E. Carter Malcolm X Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Costume Design.
1997 Amistad Nominated
2004 Sharen Davis Ray Nominated
2006 Dreamgirls Nominated
2018 Ruth E. Carter Black Panther Won First African American to win for Best Costume Design.
2021 Paul Tazewell West Side Story Nominated First African American male costume designer to be nominated for Best Costume Design.
2022 Ruth E. Carter Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Won First African American woman to win any two competitive Academy Awards.

Best Director

Academy Award for Best Director
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1991 John Singleton Boyz n the Hood Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Director.
Youngest person ever nominated in this category (age 24).
2009 Lee Daniels Precious Nominated First African American director to earn a Best Picture nomination.
2013 Steve McQueen 12 Years a Slave Nominated First Black director whose film won an Oscar for Best Picture.
First Black British person to earn a Best Director nomination.
2016 Barry Jenkins Moonlight Nominated Second Black director to direct a Best Picture-winning film.
First African-American director to direct a Best Picture-winning film.
2017 Jordan Peele Get Out Nominated First African American to earn a Best Director nomination and a Best Picture nomination for a debut film.
2018 Spike Lee BlacKkKlansman Nominated

Best Documentary Feature

Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1987 Callie Crossley (director/producer) Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years/Bridge to Freedom 1965 Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Documentary Feature.
Shared with James A. DeVinney.
1990 Yvonne Smith (producer) Adam Clayton Powell Nominated Shared with Richard Kilberg.
1993 William Miles (director/producer) Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II Nominated
1997 Spike Lee (director/producer)
Samuel D. Pollard (producer)
4 Little Girls Nominated
2004 Karolyn Ali (producer) Tupac: Resurrection Nominated
2012 T. J. Martin (director) Undefeated Won First African American to win in this category.
2016 Ava DuVernay (director/producer) 13th Nominated
Roger Ross Williams (director/producer) Life, Animated Nominated Shared with Julie Goldman.
Raoul Peck (director/producer)
Hébert Peck (producer)
I Am Not Your Negro Nominated First Haitians to be nominated in this category.
Ezra Edelman (director/producer) O.J.: Made in America Won
2017 Yance Ford (director/producer) Strong Island Nominated First openly transgender man to be nominated for any Academy Award.
First openly transgender director to be nominated for any Academy Award.
Shared with Joslyn Barnes.
2018 RaMell Ross (director/producer) Hale County This Morning, This Evening Nominated Shared with Joslyn Barnes and Su Kim.
2020 Garrett Bradley (director/producer)
Lauren Domino (producer)
Time Nominated Shared with Kellen Quinn.
2021 Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (director) Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) Won Shared with Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein.
Stanley Nelson (director/producer)
Traci A. Curry (director/producer)
Attica Nominated
2023 Moses Bwayo (director) Bobi Wine: The People's President Nominated Shared with Christopher Sharp and John Battsek

Best Documentary Short Subject

Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
2000 Leelai Demoz On Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to Freedom Nominated Shared with Eric Simonson.
First African American to be nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject.
2009 Roger Ross Williams Music by Prudence Won Shared with Elinor Burkett.
First African American to win Best Documentary Short Subject.
2020 Kris Bowers A Concerto Is a Conversation Nominated Shared with Ben Proudfoot.
Sophia Nahli Allison
Janice Duncan
A Love Song for Latasha Nominated First African American women to be nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject.
2023 Kris Bowers The Last Repair Shop Won First African American person to be nominated twice for Best Documentary Short Subject.
Shared with Ben Proudfoot.
Christine Turner The Barber of Little Rock Nominated Shared with John Hoffman.

Best Film Editing

Academy Award for Best Film Editing
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1969 Hugh A. Robertson Midnight Cowboy Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Editing.
2016 Joi McMillon Moonlight Nominated First African American woman to be nominated for Best Editing.
Shared with Nat Sanders.

Best International Feature Film

In the International Feature Film category (formerly known as Best Foreign Language Film), although the Oscar is presented to and accepted by the film's director, the submitting country is officially credited as the nominee, not the director. The following is a list of films directed by Black people which have been nominated for Best International Feature Film.

Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
Year Director Country Film Status Milestone / Notes
1995 Rachid Bouchareb Algeria Dust of Life Nominated First Black director whose film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.
2006 Days of Glory Nominated First African director to have multiple films nominated for Best Foreign Language film.
2010 Outside the Law Nominated First African director whose films have received three nominations for Best Foreign Language Film.
2013 Abderrahmane Sissako Mauritania Timbuktu Nominated
2019 Ladj Ly France Les Miserables Nominated First non-African film directed by a Black director to be nominated in this category.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
2020 Mia Neal
Jamika Wilson
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Won First African Americans to be nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Shared with Sergio López-Rivera.
2021 Carla Farmer
Stacey Morris
Coming 2 America Nominated Shared with Mike Marino.
2022 Camille Friend Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Nominated Shared with Joel Harlow.

Best Music, Original Score

Academy Award for Best Original Score
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1961 Duke Ellington Paris Blues Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Original Score.
Nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.
1964 Calvin Jackson The Unsinkable Molly Brown Nominated Shared with Robert Armbruster, Leo Arnaud, Jack Elliott, Jack Hayes & Leo Shuken.
1967 Quincy Jones In Cold Blood Nominated
1972 Isaac Hayes Shaft Nominated Nominated for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.
1972 Gil Askey Lady Sings the Blues Nominated First African American to be nominated in the Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation (which is different from Best Original Score category).
1978 Quincy Jones The Wiz Nominated First African American to be nominated in the Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score (which is different from Best Original Score category).
1984 Prince Purple Rain Won First African American winner of Best Original Song Score (which is different from Best Original Score category); this category was retired afterwards.
1985 Quincy Jones
Andrae Crouch
Caiphus Semenya
The Color Purple Nominated Shared nomination with 9 other composers.
Semenya became the first Black South African to be nominated for an Academy Award.
1986 Herbie Hancock Round Midnight Won First African-American winner of Best Original Score.
1987 Jonas Gwangwa Cry Freedom Nominated Shared with George Fenton.
2018 Terence Blanchard BlacKkKlansman Nominated
2020 Da 5 Bloods Nominated First African American to receive multiple solo nominations for Best Original Score.
First time multiple African Americans received a nomination for Best Original Score in the same year.
Jon Batiste Soul Won First time multiple African Americans received a nomination for Best Original Score in the same year.
Shared with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Best Music, Original Song

Academy Award for Best Original Song
Year Name Film Song Status Milestone / Notes
1967 Quincy Jones
Bob Russell
Banning "The Eyes of Love" Nominated First African Americans to be nominated for Best Original Song.
1968 For Love of Ivy "For Love of Ivy" Nominated First African Americans to be nominated twice for Best Original Song.
1972 Isaac Hayes Shaft "Theme from Shaft" Won First African-American winner for Best Original Song.
First African-American to win a non-acting award.
1981 Lionel Richie Endless Love "Endless Love" Nominated
1983 Irene Cara Flashdance "Flashdance... What a Feeling" Won First African-American woman to win a non-acting Academy Award.
Shared with Keith Forsey & Giorgio Moroder.
1984 Stevie Wonder The Woman in Red "I Just Called to Say I Love You" Won
Ray Parker Jr. Ghostbusters "Ghostbusters" Nominated
1985 Lionel Richie White Nights "Say You, Say Me" Won
Quincy Jones
Lionel Richie
The Color Purple "Miss Celie's Blues" Nominated Shared nomination with Rod Temperton
Richie is the first (and to date, only) Black person to receive multiple Best Original Song nominations in the same year.
1987 Jonas Gwangwa Cry Freedom "Cry Freedom" Nominated First Black South African to be nominated in this category.
Shared with George Fenton.
1988 Lamont Dozier Buster "Two Hearts" Nominated Shared with Phil Collins.
1993 Janet Jackson
Jimmy Jam
Terry Lewis
Poetic Justice "Again" Nominated
James Ingram Beethoven's 2nd "The Day I Fall In Love" Nominated Shared with Cliff Magness and Carole Bayer Sager.
1994 Junior "Look What Love Has Done" Nominated Shared with James Newton Howard, Carole Bayer Sager, and Patty Smyth.
2005 Frayser Boy
Juicy J
DJ Paul
Hustle & Flow "It's Hard out Here for a ..." Won First African-American rappers to win an Academy Award.
2006 Siedah Garrett Dreamgirls "Love You I Do" Nominated Shared with Henry Krieger.
2007 Jamal Joseph
Charles Mack
Tevin Thomas
August Rush "Raise It Up" Nominated
2011 Carlinhos Brown
Siedah Garrett
Rio "Real in Rio" Nominated Shared with Sergio Mendes.
Garrett is the most nominated African-American female songwriter (two nominations).
Brown is the first Black Latin American nominated for Best Original Song.
2013 Pharrell Williams Despicable Me 2 "Happy" Nominated
2014 Common
John Legend
Selma "Glory" Won
2015 DaHeala
The Weeknd
Fifty Shades of Grey "Earned It" Nominated Shared with Belly and Stephan Moccio.
The Weeknd & DaHeala are the first Black Canadians nominated for Best Original Song.
2017 Mary J. Blige
Raphael Saadiq
Taura Stinson
Mudbound "Mighty River" Nominated Blige is also the first Black woman to receive multiple Academy Award nominations in the same year.
First person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and writing an original song in the same year.
Common Marshall "Stand Up for Something" Nominated Shared with Diane Warren.
2018 Kendrick Lamar
Sounwave
SZA
Anthony Tiffith
Black Panther "All the Stars" Nominated
2019 Cynthia Erivo
Joshuah Brian Campbell
Harriet "Stand Up" Nominated Second Black woman to receive multiple Academy Award nominations in the same year.
Second person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and writing an original song in the same year.
2020 H.E.R.
D'Mile
Tiara Thomas
Judas and the Black Messiah "Fight For You" Won
Leslie Odom Jr. One Night in Miami... "Speak Now" Nominated First Black man to receive Academy Award nominations in the acting and music categories.
Third person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and writing an original song in the same year.
Shared with Sam Ashworth.
Celeste The Trial of the Chicago 7 "Hear My Voice" Nominated Shared with Daniel Pemberton.
2021 Beyoncé
DIXSON
King Richard "Be Alive" Nominated
2022 Ryan Coogler
Rihanna
Tems
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever "Lift Me Up" Nominated Shared with Ludwig Göransson.
2023 Jon Batiste American Symphony "It Never Went Away" Nominated Shared with Dan Wilson

Best Picture

Academy Award for Best Picture
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1985 Quincy Jones The Color Purple Nominated First African American producer whose film was nominated for Best Picture.
2009 Lee Daniels Precious Nominated First African American director whose film was nominated for Best Picture.
First time two films with African American producers were nominated for Best Picture.
Broderick Johnson The Blind Side Nominated
2012 Reginald Hudlin Django Unchained Nominated
2013 Steve McQueen 12 Years a Slave Won First Black director and producer to win Best Picture.
2014 Oprah Winfrey Selma Nominated First Black female producer nominated for Best Picture.
2016 Denzel Washington Fences Nominated First time that three films with Black producers were nominated for Best Picture.
Pharrell Williams Hidden Figures Nominated
Kimberly Steward Manchester by the Sea Nominated
2017 Jordan Peele Get Out Nominated
2018 Spike Lee
Jordan Peele
BlacKkKlansman Nominated The first Best Picture nominee to have more than one African American producer.
Peele is the first African American producer to be nominated for Best Picture twice.
Shared with Jason Blum, Raymond Mansfield, and Sean McKittrick
2020 Shaka King
Charles D. King
Ryan Coogler
Judas and the Black Messiah Nominated First Best Picture nominee to have all black producers.
2021 Will Smith King Richard Nominated Shared with Tim White and Trevor White.
2023 Cord Jefferson
Jermaine Johnson
American Fiction Nominated Shared with Ben LeClair and Nikos Karamigios.

Best Production Design

Academy Award for Best Production Design
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
2018 Hannah Beachler Black Panther Won First African American to be nominated for and to win Best Production Design.
Shared with Jay Hart.

Best Short Film (Animated)

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
2017 Kobe Bryant Dear Basketball Won Shared nomination with Glen Keane.
First African American to win Short Film (Animated).
First former professional athlete to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award in any category.
First person to win both an Olympic medal and an Academy Award.
2019 Matthew A. Cherry
Karen Rupert Toliver
Hair Love Won Cherry is the second former professional athlete to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award in any category.
Toliver is the first Black woman to win Short Film (Animated).

Best Short Film (Live Action)

Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1991 David Massey Last Breeze of Summer Nominated First African American nominated for Short Film (Live Action).
1995 Dianne Houston Tuesday Morning Ride Nominated First African-American woman nominated for Short Film (Live Action).
Shared with Joy Ride.
2014 James Lucas The Phone Call Won First Black person to win in this category.
Shared with Mat Kirkby.
2017 Kevin Wilson Jr. My Nephew Emmett Nominated
2020 Travon Free Two Distant Strangers Won First Black-American to win in this category
Shared with Martin Desmond Roe.
2023 Misan Harriman The After Nominated Shared with Nicky Bentham.

Best Sound

Academy Award for Best Sound
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1978 Willie D. Burton The Buddy Holly Story Nominated First African American to be nominated for Best Sound.
1980 Altered States Nominated First African American to be nominated multiple times for Best Sound.
1983 WarGames Nominated
1988 Bird Won First African American to win Best Sound.
1989 Russell Williams II Glory Won Second African American to win Best Sound.
1990 Dances with Wolves Won First African American to win multiple Academy Awards in any category.
First and only African American to win consecutive awards in any category.
1994 Willie D. Burton The Shawshank Redemption Nominated
1999 The Green Mile Nominated
2006 Dreamgirls Won From 2003 through 2019, the Best Sound category was known as "Best Sound Mixing". The third African American to win two competitive Academy Awards.
2023 Oppenheimer Nominated

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Year Name Film Adapted From Status Milestone / Notes
1972 Lonne Elder III Sounder Sounder
by William H. Armstrong
Nominated First African-American nominee for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
First African-American nominated for screenwriting, along with Suzanne de Passe for Lady Sings the Blues nominated the same year for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
1984 Charles Fuller A Soldier's Story A Soldier's Play
by Fuller
Nominated
2009 Geoffrey Fletcher Precious Push
by Sapphire
Won First African American to win a screenplay Academy Award (Adapted Screenplay).
2013 John Ridley 12 Years a Slave Twelve Years a Slave
by Solomon Northup
Won First African-American writer to have written a film that won Best Picture.
2016 Barry Jenkins
Tarell Alvin McCraney
Moonlight In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue
by McCraney
Won First film to have two African-American screenwriters nominated and to win.
Second film to have African-American writers that won Best Picture.
First time two films written by African-Americans were nominated in the same year.
August Wilson Fences Fences
by Wilson
Nominated First African-American writer to receive a posthumous nomination in a writing category.
First time two films written by African-Americans were nominated in the same year.
2017 Virgil Williams
Dee Rees
Mudbound Mudbound
by Hillary Jordan
Nominated Rees is the second Black woman to be nominated for a Screenplay Oscar.
Rees is the first black woman to be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.
2018 Kevin Willmott
Spike Lee
BlacKkKlansman Black Klansman
by Ron Stallworth
Won Shared with Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz.
Lee is the first Black screenwriter to be nominated for both Best Original and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Lee is the first Black filmmaker to win a competitive Oscar after receiving an Honorary Academy Award.
Along with Barry Jenkins nominated the same year for If Beale Street Could Talk, Lee and Jenkins are the first two black people to be nominated for screenwriting twice.
Barry Jenkins If Beale Street Could Talk If Beale Street Could Talk
by James Baldwin
Nominated First Black person to have two nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Along with Spike Lee nominated the same year for BlacKkKlansman, Jenkins and Lee are the first two Black people to be nominated for screenwriting twice.
2020 Kemp Powers One Night in Miami... One Night in Miami
by Powers
Nominated
2023 Cord Jefferson American Fiction Erasure
by Percival Everett
Won

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Year Name Film Status Milestone / Notes
1972 Suzanne de Passe Lady Sings the Blues Nominated Shared nomination with co-writers Chris Clark and Terence McCloy.
First African-American nominee for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
First African-American nominated for screenwriting, along with Lonne Elder III for Sounder nominated the same year for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).
First African-American woman nominated for screenwriting.
First African-American woman nominated for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
1989 Spike Lee Do the Right Thing Nominated First African-American man nominated for Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
1991 John Singleton Boyz n the Hood Nominated Youngest person to be nominated in this category (age 24).
2017 Jordan Peele Get Out Won First African-American to win Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
First African-American to be nominated for and to win Best Writing (Original Screenplay) for a debut film.
2020 Shaka King
Kenny Lucas
Keith Lucas
Judas and the Black Messiah Nominated First film to have multiple African-American screenwriters nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
Shared with Will Berson.

Special awards

Special Awards
Year Name Award
1947 James Baskett Academy Special Award, for his characterization of Uncle Remus in Song of the South.
First Black man to receive an Oscar.
1995 Quincy Jones Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
2001 Sidney Poitier Academy Honorary Award, "for his extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence".
2011 James Earl Jones Academy Honorary Award, "for his legacy of consistent excellence and uncommon versatility"
Oprah Winfrey Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
2014 Harry Belafonte
2015 Spike Lee Academy Honorary Award, "filmmaker, educator, motivator, iconoclast, artist […] [and] a champion of independent film and an inspiration to young filmmakers"
2017 Charles Burnett Academy Honorary Award, “A resolutely independent and influential film pioneer who has chronicled the lives of Black Americans with eloquence and insight.”
2018 Cicely Tyson Academy Honorary Award, "Whose unforgettable performances and personal integrity have inspired generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences"
2020 Tyler Perry Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
2021 Danny Glover
Samuel L. Jackson Academy Honorary Award, "Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across decades and generations and audiences worldwide"
2022 Euzhan Palcy Academy Honorary Award, "a pioneering filmmaker whose groundbreaking significance in international cinema is cemented in film history"
2023 Angela Bassett Academy Honorary Award, "Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting"

Nominees by decade (acting categories)

Decade 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
Lead Actor 0 0 1 1 2 2 4 8 5 5
Lead Actress 0 0 1 0 3 1 1 2 4 2
Supp. Actor 0 0 0 1 0 6 4 5 3 5
Supp. Actress 1 1 1 1 0 3 2 7 8 5
Total 1 1 3 3 5 12 11 22 20 17

See also

kids search engine
List of black Academy Award winners and nominees Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.