How many African Americans have won an Oscar in all of history?
Black actors and filmmakers have been making strides in recent years at receiving the highest honor from the Academy. Meet those who’ve won an Oscar Award.
Since 1929, more than 3,000 people have received the coveted ‘Oscar’ golden statue. The Oscars, which are given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are considered the highest honor in cinema. Winners are chosen from nominees, both of which are voted upon by the nearly 10,000 members of the AMPAS.
However, the lack of diversity and history of discriminatory practices has raised questions about the legitimacy of the organization to judge “the best” of the film industry. If the members are not a diverse representation, their selections may feel out of touch, and their bias can lead them to overlook certain performances or rank some higher than others.
While the Academy has been working to improve diversification, and African Americans are making strides to attain the highest honor it bestows upon those in the film industry, this history is still reflected in the underrepresentation of Black nominees and winners over time. This article is dedicated to those who broke barriers.
How many African Americans have won an Oscar in all of history?
Over 80 African-Americans have won Oscars in different categories, along with the addition of special prizes also distributed at the ceremony, like those for lifetime achievement.
Best Leading Actor
- 1964 - Sidney Poitier - 'Lilies of the Field'
- 2002 - Denzel Washington - 'Training Day'
- 2005 - Jamie Foxx - ‘Ray’
- 2007 - Forest Whitaker - 'The Last King of Scotland'
- 2022 - Will Smith - 'King Richard'
Best Leading Actress
- 2002 - Halle Berry - 'Monster's Ball'
Best Supporting Actor
- 1983 - Louis Gossett Jr. - 'An Officer and a Gentleman'
- 1990 - Denzel Washington - ‘Glory’
- 1997 - Cuba Gooding Jr. - 'Jerry Maguire'
- 2005 - Morgan Freeman - ‘Million Dollar Baby’
- 2017 and 2019 - Mahershala Ali - ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Green Book’
- 2021 - Daniel Kaluuya - 'Judas and the Black Messiah'
Best Supporting Actress
- 1940 - Hattie McDaniel - "Gone with the Wind"
- 1991 - Whoopi Goldberg - "Ghost"
- 2007 - Jennifer Hudson - 'Dreamgirls'
- 2010 - Mo'Nique - 'Precious'
- 2012 - Octavia Spencer - ‘The Help’
- 2014 - Lupita Nyong'o - '12 Years a Slave'
- 2017 - Viola Davis - ‘Fences’
- 2019 - Regina King - 'If Beale Street Could Talk'
- 2022 - Ariana DeBose - ‘West Side Story’
- 2024 - Da'Vine Joy Randolph - 'The Holdovers'
Best Animated Film
- 2019 - Peter Ramsey - ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’
Best Costume Design
- 2019 - Ruth E. Carter - 'Black Panther'
Best Documentary Feature
- 2013 - T.J. Martin - 'Undefeated'
- 2017 - Ezra Edelman - 'O.J.: Made in America'
- 2022 - Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson - ‘Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’
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Best Documentary Short
- 2010 - Roger Ross Williams - 'Music by Prudence'
- 2024 - Kris Bowers - 'The Last Repair Shop'
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- 2021 - Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson - ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Best Soundtrack
- 1985 - Prince - ‘Purple Rain’
- 1987 - Herbie Hancock - ‘Round Midnight’
- 2021 - Jon Batiste - 'Soul'
Best Original Song
- 1973 - Isaac Hayes - 'Theme from Shaft' from 'Shaft'
- 1984 - Irene Cara - 'Flashdance... What a Feeling' from 'Flashdance'
- 1985 - Stevie Wonder - 'I Just Called to Say I Love You' from 'The Woman in Red'
- 1986 - Lionel Richie - '"Say You, Say Me' from 'White Nights'
- 2006 - Frayser Boy, Juicy J and DJ Paul - 'It's Hard out Here for a Pimp' from 'Hustle & Flow'
- 2015 - Common and John Legend - 'Glory' from 'Selma'
- 2021 - H.E.R., D'Mile and Tiara Thomas - 'Fight For You' from 'Judas and the Black Messiah'
Best Film
- 2014 - Steve McQueen - ‘12 Years a Slave’
Best Production Design
- 2019 - Hannah Beachler - 'Black Panther'
Best Animated Short Film
- 2018 - Kobe Bryant - 'Dear Basketball'
- 2020 - Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver - 'Hair Love'
Best Live Action Short Film
- 2021 - Travon Free - ‘Two Distant Strangers’
Best Sound
- 1989 and 2007 - Willie D. Burton - 'Bird' and 'Dreamgirls'
- 1990 and 1991 - Russell Williams II - 'Glory' and 'Dances with Wolves'
Best Adapted Screenplay
- 2010 - Geoffrey Fletcher - 'Precious'
- 2014 - John Ridley - '12 Years a Slave'
- 2017 - Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney - 'Moonlight'
- 2019 - Kevin Willmott and Spike Lee - 'BlacKkKlansman'
- 2024 - Cord Jefferson - 'American Fiction'
Best Original Screenplay
- 2018 - Jordan Peele - 'Get Out'
Special Prizes
- 1947 - James Baskett - Special Academy Award for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in 'Song of the South'
- 1995 - Quincy Jones - Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- 2001 - Sidney Poitier - Academy Honorary Award
- 2011 - James Earl Jones - Honorary Academy Award
- 2011 - Oprah Winfrey - Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- 2014 - Harry Belafonte - Academy Honorary Award
- 2015 - Spike Lee - Academy Honorary Award
- 2017 - Charles Burnett - Academy Honorary Award
- 2018 - Cicely Tyson - Academy Honorary Award
- 2020 - Tyler Perry - Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- 2021 - Danny Glover - Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- 2021 - Samuel L. Jackson - Academy Honorary Award
- 2022 - Euzhan Palcy - Academy Honorary Award
Which African Americans have won the most Oscars?
All in all, 63 individual Oscars have been given out to African Americans. With some having been awarded to more than one person and others winning on more than one occasion, that works out at 69 different winners.
Denzel Washington (Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role), Mahershala Ali (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, twice), Ruth E. Carter (Best Costume Design, twice), Willie D. Burton (Best Sound, twice) and Russell Williams II (Best Sound, twice) are the only African Americans to have won more than one Academy Award, not counting Special awards.
14 African Americans have won Special awards, including Sidney Poitier and Spike Lee, who have one one Oscar each (Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)) respectively.