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Last year, there was a lot of backlash regarding how there was no diversity in the Oscar race and that all nominees were white, leading to the hashtag #OscarSoWhite which trended across the globe. 

 

But this year, the new Oscar nominations are groundbreaking with the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences showering nominations on at least six African-American themed films, 10 black actors and filmmakers and the India themed, Lion. Barry Jenkins scored a nomination for Moonlight while Ava DuVernay’s 13^th was nominated for the Documentary Feature category. She is in competition with OJ: Made In America by Ezra Edelman and I am Not Your Negro by Raoul Peck. The Best Picture nominees are Fences, Hidden Figures and Moonlight, which deal with people of colour.

 

 

 

 

The nominees in the acting category are Denzel Washington, Ruth Negga, Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer while the writing nominees comprise Tarell Alvin Mc Craney, August Wilson and Jenkins. Kimberly Steward shares a producing nomination for Manchester By The Sea.

 

 

 

 

After last year’s severe backlash, Hollywood has finally mended its ways with the Academy announcing its decision to add diverse members to its governing board. And so on that note, here’s taking a look at all the first black nominations in Oscar history.

 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

 

Sidney Poitier 

 

First African-American actor to be nominated for Best Actor for The Defiant Ones (1958)

 

First black male to win an Oscar for Lilies of Field (1963)

 

First African-American actor to win Best Actor for Lilies of Field

 

First African-American actor to receive two acting nominations (for Best Actor)

 

Dexter Gordon

 

First jazz musician to be nominated for Best Actor for Round Midnight (1986)

 

Will Smith for Ali and Denzel Washington for Training Day (2001)

 

First time multiple African-American actors received Best Actor nominations

 

Jamie Foxx

 

First African-American actor to receive two acting nominations in the same year for Ray (2004)

 

Chiwetel Ejiofor

 

First black British actor to be nominated for Best Actor for 12 Years a Slave

 

Denzel Washington

 

Denzel Washington has the most nominations for an African-American Actor: Best Actor (5 nominations) and Best Supporting Actor (2 nominations)

 

Best Actress in a Leading Role

 

Dorothy Dandridge

 

First African-American actress to be nominated for Best Actress for Carmen Jones (1954)

 

Diana Ross

 

First African-American actress to receive an Academy Award nomination for a debut film performance for Lady Sings the Blues (1954)

 

First time multiple African-American actresses received Best Actress nominations for Lady Sings the Blues (1954)

 

Halle Berry

 

First African-American actress to win Best Actress for Monster’s Ball (2001)

 

Ruth Negga

 

First black Irish actress to be nominated for Loving (2016)

 

First black African (Ethiopia) actress to be nominated in lead for Loving (2016)

 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

 

Rupert Crosse

 

First African-American actor to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Reivers (1969)

 

Louis Gossett, Jr.

 

First African-American actor to win Best Supporting Actor for An Officer and a Gentleman

 

Best Actress In a Supporting Role

 

Hattie McDaniel

 

First African-American to win an Academy Award for Gone With The Wind (1939)

 

First African-American to be nominated for acting

 

Queen Latifah

 

First female hip hop artist to be nominated for an Academy Award for Chicago (2002)

 

Lupita Nyong’o

 

First black African (Kenyan) actress to be nominated for 12 Years A Slave (2013)

 

First black African to win in any category

 

Best Cinematography

 

Remi Adefarasin

 

First black person to be nominated for Best Cinematography for Elizabeth (1988)

 

Best Costume Design

 

Ruth E. Carter

 

First African-American to be nominated for Best Costume Design for Malcolm X (1992)

 

Best Director

 

John Singleton

 

First African-American to be nominated for Best Director for Boyz n the Hood (1991)

 

Steve McQueen

 

First black Briton to earn a Best Director nomination

 

First black director to direct a Best Picture winning film

 

First black director to earn an Oscar for Best Picture for 12 Years A Slave (2013)

 

Best Documentary Feature

 

Yvonne Smith

 

First African-American producer to be nominated for Best Documentary Feature for Adam Clayton Powell (1990)

 

J. Martin

 

First African-American director to win in the Best Documentary Feature category for Undefeated

 

Ava DuVernay

 

First black woman director to be nominated for Best Documentary Feature category for 13^th

 

Best Film Editing

 

Hugh A. Robertson

 

First African-American person to be nominated for Best Editing for Midnight Cowboy(1969)

 

Joi McMillon

 

First African-American woman to be nominated for Best Editing for Moonlight (2016)

 

Best Music, Original Score

 

Duke Ellington

 

First African-American person to be nominated for Best Original Score for Paris Blues (1961)

 

Gil Askey

 

First African-American person to be nominated in the Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation for Lady Sings the Blues (1973)

 

Quincy Jones

 

First African-American person to be nominated in the Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score  for The Wiz (1978)

 

Prince

 

First African-American winner of Best Original Song Score for Purple Rain (1984)

 

Herbie Hancock

 

First African-American winner of Best Original Score for Round Midnight (1986)

 

Best Music, Original Song

 

Isaac Hayes

 

First African-American winner for Best Original Song for Shaft (1971)

 

Irene Cara

 

First African-American woman to win a non-acting Academy Award for Flashdance (1983)

 

Frayser Boy, Juicy J and DJ Paul

 

First African-American rappers to win an Academy Award for Hustle & Flow (2005)

 

Best Picture

 

Quincy Jones

 

First African-American producer whose film was nominated for Best Picture for The Color Purple (1985)

 

Lee Daniels

 

First African-American director whose film was nominated for Best Picture for Precious (2009)

 

Steve McQueen

 

First black producer to win Best Picture for 12 Years A Slave (2003)

 

Oprah Winfrey

 

First black female producer nominated for Best Picture for Selma (2014)

 

Best Sound Mixing

 

Willie D. Burton

 

First African-American person to be nominated for Best Sound for The Buddy Holly Story (1978)

 

First African-American person to win Best Sound for Bird (1988)

 

Best Writing

 

Lonne Elder

 

First African-American nominee for Best Writing for Sounder (1972)

 

Geoffrey Fletcher

 

First African-American to win a screenplay Academy Award for Precious (2009)

 

Suzanne de Passe

 

First African-American female nominated for screen-writing for Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

 

Spike Lee

 

First African-American male to be nominated for Best Writing for Do the Right Thing (1989)