Who Was The First Black Woman To Win An Oscar?

The Oscars took 12 ceremonies before the first Black woman ever won an Oscar, and many want to know who this trailblazing actress is. Since its inception, The Oscars has had less than 50 Black nominees win an award, a shocking and sadly low number. While this trend does seem to be getting better, the first Black woman to win an Oscar remains an important milestone for the awards.

Along with many other institutions, Hollywood has a long history of mistreating and underrepresenting Black members of the filmmaking community. This can be seen most in The Academy Awards, as the disparities in nominations have caused immense controversy. Even recently, The Oscars had zero Black nominees in 2015 and 2016, leading to the #OscarsSoWhite social media campaign. While this is just one of the many ways Black people have been discriminated against historically, those Black actresses, actors, songwriters, and more that have won Oscars deserve to have their triumphs celebrated and remembered.

In 1940, at the 12th Academy Awards, history was made when Hattie McDaniel became the first Black woman to ever win an Oscar. Not only that – she was also the first Black person to ever win an Oscar in any category. The actress was nominated and won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in Gone With the Wind. Her award was one of the eight that Gone With the Wind took home, but Hattie McDaniel’s Oscar was by far the most significant.

While Gone With the Wind is very problematic, it is undeniable that Hattie McDaniel gave her performance her all. She was a scene-stealer every second she was on screen, and her wit, charm, and heart are what earned her the Oscar. The “Mammy” stereotype is a very harmful one, but the undeniable issues with the role do nothing to diminish McDaniel’s ultimate triumph or the impact it had. The role launched the actress’s career, with her becoming the first Black actor to star in their own radio show soon after.

Although Hattie McDaniel’s win was historic, it would be a while before the success was repeated. Not a single Black person won after 1940 until 1963 When Sidney Poitier won Best Actor. Things have steadily improved, with Black actors, actresses, and more winning Oscars more frequently. Major Black stars like Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, and Will Smith have won Oscars, and Black production designers, documentary filmmakers, directors, songwriters, and more have either been nominated or won multiple times over the past few years. Nevertheless, Hollywood’s problematic legacy and continued issues with diversity remain a serious concern. Even though there is still a long way to go, Hattie McDaniel becoming the first Black woman to win at The Oscars was a major step, and her legacy will live on forever.

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