Not only was Idris Elba the black male to take home two SAG trophies in one awards show evening, but the actor was the first ever to do so. The roles that secured the wins for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture and Best Male Actor in a Television Movie or Mini Series were Beasts of No Nation and Luther, respectively.
2015: Viola Davis’ ‘HTGAWM’ trophy
Viola Davis made history at the 2015 Emmys when the How to Get Away With Murder star became the first black actress to ever take home the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. And the speech she gave in honor of the win? Someone should have given her all the awards for that.
2015: Ava DuVernay’s Golden Globe nomination
In 2014, the incredibly talented Ava DuVernay became the first black woman director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Selma (one of only three black directors to ever be nominated in the category during its 72-year history) — for which she also made history as the first black woman director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Similarly, she became the first black woman to win the Best Director award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for her second feature film, Middle of Nowhere.
2014: Laverne Cox’s Emmy nod (and win!)
When Laverne Cox received an Emmy nod for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as inmate Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black, she became the first openly transgender acting nominee to ever receive such a nomination. Cox also made history as the first transgender woman to win an Emmy as executive producer for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word.
2013: Cheryl Boone Isaacs’ new gig
Although she’s been at the subject of controversy as of late because of the “#OscarsSoWhite” social media campaign, it doesn’t diminish the fact that Cheryl Boone Isaacs’ appointment in 2013 as the first black president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (aka The Oscars) was monumental.
2013: Steve McQueen’s nominations (and awards)
For his 2013 film 12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen was nominated for a Best Director Golden Globe — making him one of only three black directors to ever receive such a nod. But he also won numerous awards for the film, and ultimately became the first black filmmaker to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.
2012: The arrival of ‘Scandal”s Olivia Pope
It has since become a cultural tour de force, but Scandal originally made headlines when it debuted in 2012 for the casting of Kerry Washington as the unforgettable Olivia Pope — the role marked the first time in nearly 40 years that a black woman enjoyed the lead role on a primetime network drama.
2002: Halle Berry’s Academy Award triumph
It’s not likely anyone will forget Hall Berry’s iconic 2002 Academy Award win for best actress. The winning role, which made Berry the first black woman to win the award, was her emotional turn in the film Monster’s Ball alongside Billy Bob Thornton.
2002: Denzel Washington’s double victory
When Denzel Washington scored wins for both the lead and supporting Oscars for Glory in 1990 and Training Day in 2002, he became the only black Academy Award winner to ever snag that unique combination of accolades.
1993: Angela Bassett’s Golden Globe
Who could possibly deny Angela Bassett her due glory when she played Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It? Clearly not the Golden Globes — Bassett was the first black woman to win in the Best Actress category at the Golden Globe Awards.
Spike Lee’s nomination
Acclaimed and quite accomplished director Spike Lee has produced more than 35 films since his directorial debut with 1986’s She’s Gotta Have It, but it was his Golden Globe nomination for 1990’s Do the Right Thing that put him in rare company. He’s one of only three black directors who’ve received Best Director nods in that category.
1986: The rise of Oprah Winfrey
With the launch of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Winfrey became the first black woman to host a nationally syndicated television show. Of course, she didn’t stop there. Winfrey’s show went on to become the highest-rated daytime TV show in history, and Winfrey herself went on to become the first black female billionaire. Today, she’s virtually a one-woman empire.
1968: The first black female soap star
When Ellen Holly joined the cast of the popular soap opera One Life to Live in 1968, she became the first black actress to star in a major daytime TV role — she played the memorable Carla Hall Scott.
1968: Diahann Carroll’s debut
When Diahann Carroll made her big debut in the 1968 series Julia, she became the first black actress to star in her own comedy series. Years later, in 1984, she achieved another big accomplishment when she was cast as the first black “diva” of TV for her role as Dominique Deveraux on Dynasty.
1963: Cicely Tyson’s repeat performance
Beloved actress Cicely Tyson was hand-picked by George C. Scott to play his social worker assistant on the CBS program East Side/West Side, making her the first black actress to land a recurring role in a dramatic series.
1964: Sidney Poitier’s Academy Award
Actor, director, author and diplomat Sir Sidney Poitier won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 1964’s Lilies of the Field, making him the first black (and Bahamian) to win an Academy Award in that category.
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