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This Year’s Oscars Broke Records for the Number of Black Winners

This Year’s Oscars Broke Records for the Number of Black Winners

Last night’s Oscars ended up having the most diverse group of winners since the first ceremony in 1929.

Five awards went to black people yesterday: Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney for Best Adapted Screenplay for Moonlight, Moonlight for Best Picture, Viola Davis for Best Supporting Actress for Fences, Mahershala Ali for Best Supporting Actor for Moonlight, and Ezra Edelman alongside Caroline Waterlow for Best Documentary Feature for O.J.: Made in America.

For Davis and Ali, they also broke individual records with Davis becoming the first black woman to win an Emmy, Oscar and Tony for acting and Ali becoming the first black Muslim to win an Oscar.

Before this year, the most diverse group of winners was in 2009 when three black actors were awarded.

Following last year’s #OscarsSoWhite, the Oscars were less white, but still have a ways to go in terms of diversity of all groups.

This year’s pool of nominees was the most diverse the Academy has seen, which fits with the findings of the 2017 Hollywood Diversity Report. The report found that Hollywood in general has improved, but still has progress to make, especially in regards to representation behind the camera.

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