List of black Academy Award winners and nominees

Year

Name

Country

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

First Black actor to be nominated two years in a row (nominated the same years as first Black actress).

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

Jeffrey Wright

American Fiction

Thelonious "Monk" Ellison

Nominated

First film to feature African-American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Colman Domingo

Rustin

Bayard Rustin

Nominated

First gay Black and Afro-Latino actor to be nominated for Best Actor.

2024

Sing Sing

John "Divine G" Whitfield

Nominated

Second African-American actor to be nominated two years in a row.

Year

Name

Country

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. First time that an African-American role has been nominated for a second performer playing it in a different film.

2024

Cynthia Erivo

Wicked

Elphaba Thropp

Nominated

First Black British actress to receive two nominations for Best Actress, and the second Black actress to receive two nominations for Best Actress.

Year

Name

Country

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 nominated in the same category for the same film.

Lakeith Stanfield

William O'Neal

Nominated

First film to have multiple black actors nominated in the same category for the same film.

Leslie Odom Jr.

One Night in Miami...

Sam Cooke

Nominated

First 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.

Year

Name

Country

Film

Role

Status

Milestone / Notes

1939

Hattie McDaniel

Gone with the Wind

Mammy

Won

First African-American to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award in any category.

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 time two Black performers were nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year. 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 Black performers from different films were nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year.

Taraji P. Henson

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Queenie

Nominated

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).First time three films have Black performers nominated for Supporting Actress in the same year; thus, first time there was a black majority in this category.

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.

2017

The Shape of Water

Zelda Fuller

Nominated

First Black actress to be nominated two years in a row (nominated the same years as first Black actor).

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

Second time that an African-American role has been nominated for a second performer playing it in a different film - first time for a fictional role, first time for a supporting role.

Year

Name

Country

Film

Status

Milestone / Notes

2018

Peter Ramsey

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Won

Shared with Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Bob Persichetti & Rodney RothmanFirst 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.

Year

Name

Country

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.

Year

Name

Country

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.

2024

Paul Tazewell

Wicked

Won

First African American male costume designer to win for Best Costume Design.

Year

Name

Country

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).First Black director nominated for their debut feature film.

2009

Lee Daniels

Precious

Nominated

First nominated African-American director to direct a Best Picture-nominated film.

2013

Steve McQueen

12 Years a Slave

Nominated

First Black director whose film won an Oscar for Best Picture.First Black British person to be nominated for Best Director.

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 nominated for both Best Director and Best Picture for their debut film.

2018

Spike Lee

BlacKkKlansman

Nominated

Year

Name

Country

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

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 AllisonJanice 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.

Year

Name

Country

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.

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.

Year

Name

Country

Film

Status

Milestone / Notes

2020

Mia NealJamika 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 FarmerStacey Morris

Coming 2 America

Nominated

Shared with Mike Marino.

2022

Camille Friend

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Nominated

Shared with Joel Harlow.

Year

Name

Country

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 JonesAndrae CrouchCaiphus 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.

2024

Kris Bowers

The Wild Robot

Nominated

Year

Name

Country

Film

Song

Status

Milestone / Notes

1967

Quincy JonesBob Russell

Banning

"The Eyes of Love"

Nominated