The Oscars are this Sunday.  Over the years only 14 African American actors have won an Academy Award. The envelope, please:

1. 1939 Hattie McDaniel, Best Supporting Actress for Gone With the Wind

2. 1963 Sidney Poitier, Best Actor for Lilies of the Field

3. 1982 Louis Gossett, Jr. Best Supporting Actor for An Officer and a Gentleman

4. 1989 Denzel Washington, Best Supporting Actor for Glory

5. 1990 Whoopi Goldberg, Best Supporting Actress for Ghost

6. 1996 Cuba Gooding, Jr., Best Supporting Actor for Jerry Maguire

7. 2001 Denzel Washington, Best Actor for Training Day

8. 2001 Halle Berry, Best Actress for Monster’s Ball

9. 2004 Jamie Foxx, Best Actor for Ray

10. 2004 Morgan Freeman, Best Supporting Actor for Million Dollar Baby

11. 2006 Forest Whitaker, Best Actor for The Last King of Scotland

12. 2006 Jennifer Hudson, Best Supporting Actress for Dreamgirls

13. 2009 Mo’Nique, Best Supporting Actress for Precious

14. 2014 Lupita Nyong’o, Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years A Slave

There are no African American actors nominated for an Oscar this year. But, the movie “Selma” which was directed by African American director, Ava DuVernay, and featured a primarily African American cast is nominated for Best Picture.