Black Actors & Filmmakers Who Made Movie & TV History: Halle Berry, Cicely Tyson & More

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February 2, 2024 11:08AM EST
Halle Berry
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Happy Black History Month! Celebrate excellence in Black Hollywood with a look back on history-making moments for Black actors, filmmakers, writers, and more.

The excellence of Black Hollywood can not be understated and with Black History Month upon us, it’s time to celebrate monumental moments in movie and TV history. While Black filmmakers and actors have been at the forefront of on-screen entertainment, there is no denying that it took the industry far too long to honor Black talents across genres. An example: While Hattie McDaniel was the first Black woman to win an Oscar in 1950, it wouldn’t be until 2002 that Halle Berry earned her own Academy Award as a leading lady.

As we celebrate Black History Month, learn about the most historic moments for Black actors, writers, filmmakers, and entertainers in our gallery here.

1 of 17

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson
ANL/Shutterstock

Cicely Tyson is ultra-stylish as she touches down at London’s Heathrow Airport in 1973.

The star made history several times in her career, first in the 60s at the first Black person to star in a primetime drama with her role in the series East Side/West Side. She was also the first Black actress on the soap opera Guiding Light and in 2018, Cicely became the first Black actress to receive an honorary Academy Award.

February 8, 2022, 10:40AM
2 of 17

Oscar Micheaux

Oscar Micheaux
Everett/Shutterstock

Oscar Micheaux was the first African American to write, produce & direct a feature film when his feature The Homesteader premiered in 1919. He created 44 movies during his life, both in sound and silent. He has been described as “the most successful African-American filmmaker of the first half of the 20th century.”

February 8, 2022, 10:40AM
3 of 17

James Baskett

James Baskett
Everett/Shutterstock

James Baskett (right) smiles as Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman presents him with a special Academy Award. In March 1948 he was recognized for his role as Uncle Remus in the controversial Disney film, South Of The South.

February 8, 2022, 10:41AM
4 of 17

Gail Fisher

Gail Fisher
AP/Shutterstock

Gail Fisher beams while holding her Emmy Award for outstanding female performance in television drama. She won two Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award for her part on Mannix, making her the first Black woman to earn each honor. Gail also made history as the first Black woman to appear in a nationally televised commercial with speaking lines, in a 1962 ad spot for All laundry detergent.

February 8, 2022, 10:42AM
5 of 17

Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier
Snap/Shutterstock

Sidney Poitier marvels at his Oscar at the 1963 Academy Awards. He became the first Black man to win a leading man Oscar for his role in Lillies In The Field. The legend would receive an honorary Oscar in 2002 for his “remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being”.

February 8, 2022, 10:42AM
6 of 17

Gordon Parks Jr.

Gordon Parks Jr.
Everett/Shutterstock

Gordon Parks Jr., offers his keen eye while filming his autobiographical movie The Learning Tree in 1969. He was the first Black director to make a movie with a major studio working for Warner Bros.

February 8, 2022, 10:43AM
7 of 17

Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte
Anonymous/AP/Shutterstock

Harry Belafonte croons on the Broadway stage of Belafonte at the Palace in 1960. Harry was the first Black Emmy winner for his TV special, Tonight With Belafonte in 1960. In 1956 he became the first Black male Tony Award winner.

February 8, 2022, 10:44AM
8 of 17

Hattie McDaniel

Hattie McDaniel
AP/Shutterstock

Hattie McDaniel smiles with actress Fay Bainter while receiving her Oscar for Gone With The Wind in 1940. Though she won the award for Best Supporting Actress, it was bittersweet. Hattie was forced to sit in the back of the room inside the segregated venue during the event and before that, she was criticized for her stereotypical performance in the movie. Still, the star called her Oscar “one of the happiest moments” of her life.

February 8, 2022, 10:45AM
9 of 17

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg
Suzanne Plunkett/AP/Shutterstock

Now that’s something! When Whoopi Goldberg won her first Tony Award in 2000, here, she became the first Black EGOT – that is a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.

February 8, 2022, 10:46AM
10 of 17

Juanita Hall

Juanita Hall
Everett/Shutterstock

Juanita Hall, seen here in a 1949 portrait, was the first African-American to win a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress. She earned the honor for her role in a production of South Pacific.

February 8, 2022, 10:47AM
11 of 17

John Singleton

John Singleton
Bei/Shutterstock

John Singleton, here with Barbra Streisand in 1992, was the first Black filmmaker to be nominated for Best Director at the 1992 Oscars for his debut feature Boyz n the Hood. The nom also made him the youngest person to ever be up for the award.

February 8, 2022, 10:47AM
12 of 17

Julie Dash

Julie Dash
American Playhouse/Wmg/Geechee/K

Julie Dash became the first Black woman to direct and produce a feature film with 1991’s Daughters Of The Dust, seen here. In 2004, Daughters of the Dust was included in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

February 8, 2022, 10:52AM
13 of 17

Lena Waithe

Lena Waithe
Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock

Lena Waithe accepted the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Master of None onstage during the 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sep. 17, 2017. She was the first Black woman to win an Emmy award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.

February 8, 2022, 10:48AM
14 of 17

Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters
Anonymous/AP/Shutterstock

Ethel Waters, seen with Mimi Dillard Slavery on Go Down, Moses, was the first Black person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1962. She was also a key player in integrating segregated Broadway and was the second Black person to be nominated for an Oscar in 1949.

February 8, 2022, 10:49AM
15 of 17

Arsenio Hall

Arsenio Hall
Paramount Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Arsenio Hall became the first Black man to host a major late-night talk show when his series The Arsenio Hall Show debuted in 1989. The show ran until 1994.

February 8, 2022, 10:51AM
16 of 17

Halle Berry

Halle Berry
Peter Brooker/Shutterstock

Here, Halle Berry screams with glee as she holds up her Oscar at the 74th Academy Awards on Mar. 24, 2002. She became the first Black woman to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Monster’s Ball.

 

February 8, 2022, 10:50AM
17 of 17

Mj Rodriguez

Mj Rodriguez
Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Mj Rodriguez glows in blue Prabal Gurung during the 2019 Golden Globes on Jan. 6 of that year. She became the first Black transgender woman to win a Globe when she took home an honor for Pose in 2022.

February 8, 2022, 10:52AM