Congratulations, Lupita! A List of Every Black Woman Ever Nominated for an Oscar

This morning, Lupita Nyong'o was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her role as Patsey in "12 Years A Slave." Lupita is the first Black African woman to be nominated, but surprisingly only five Black women have won Oscars in its 85 year history.

(1939) Hattie McDaniel as Mammy in "Gone with the Wind " - WINNER
(1949) Ethel Waters as Mrs. Dicey Johnson in "Pinky"
(1959) Juanita Moore as Annie Johnson in "Imitation of Life"

(1967) Carol Channing as Muzzy Van Hossmere in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"
(1967) Beah Richards as Mrs. Prentice in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
(1983) Alfre Woodard as GeeChee in "Cross Creek"

(1985) Margaret Avery as Shug Avery in "The Color Purple"
(1985) Oprah Winfrey as Sofia in  "The Color Purple"
(1990) Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown in "Ghost" - WINNER

(1996) Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Hortense Cumberbatch in "Secrets & Lies"
(2002) Queen Latifah as Matron Mama Morton in "Chicago "
(2004) Sophie Okonedo as Tatiana Rusesabagina in "Hotel Rwanda"

(2006) Jennifer Hudson as Effie White in "Dreamgirls" - WINNER
(2007) Ruby Dee as Mama Lucas in "American Gangster"
(2008) Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller in "Doubt"

(2008) Taraji P. Henson as Queenie in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
(2009) Mo'Nique as Mary Jones in "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire" - WINNER
(2011) Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson in "The Help" -WINNER


(1954) Dorothy Dandridge as Carmen Jones "Carmen Jones"
(1972) Diana Ross as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings The Blues"
(1972) Cicely Tyson as Rebecca Morgan in "Sounder"

(1974) Diahann Carroll as Claudine in "Claudine"
(1985) Whoopi Goldberg as Celie Johnson in "The Color Purple"
(1993) Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in "What's Love Got To Do With It?"

(2001) Halle Berry as Leticia Musgrove in "Monster's Ball" -WINNER
(2009) Gabourey Sidibe as Claireece "Precious" Jones in "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire"
(2011) Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark in "The Help"
(2012) Quvenzhané Wallis as Hushpuppy in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

Related:

8 Things You Should Know About Lupita Nyong'o
50 Movies About Black Women We Love

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Kimberly Foster is the founder and editor of For Harriet. Email or Follow @KimberlyNFoster

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