1940: Hattie McDaniel becomes the first black person to win an Oscar
Hattie McDaniel made history in 1940 when she won Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind. In doing so, she became the first black person to receive an Academy Award in any category. At the time, the hotel the awards were taking place at were segregated and McDaniel was forced to sit at a separate table from her costars on the side of the room. Another black woman would not win an Oscar until 1990 when Whoopi Goldberg won Best Supporting Actress for Ghost.
“I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel, and may I say thank you and God bless you.”
