Seven Individual Black Winners
Seven black winners won in six categories, breaking a record set in 2017. One of them was Spike Lee, who lost out to Best Directing for BlacKkKlansman, but did win Best Adapted Screenplay.
Most Diverse Winning Actors
Regina King won Best Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk and Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor for Green Book. Rami Malek, born to Egyptian immigrants, won Best Leading Actor for Bohemian Rhapsody.
Ruth E. Carter Wins Best Costume Design
She made history by becoming the first black person to win Best Costume Design, for her work on Black Panther. Her win also marked the first Oscar won by Marvel Studios.
In 1993, Carter became the first black person to be nominated in the category, for her work on Malcolm X. She was nominated again in 1998, for Amistad.
Hannah Beachler Wins Best Production Design
She made history by becoming the first black person to win an Oscar for best production design, for her work on Black Panther.
Black Panther Is Nominated for Best Picture
The movie is the first Marvel film, and superhero film in general, to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination. The film won a total of three Oscars—the most ever awarded to a superhero film.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Wins Best Animated Feature
This marks the first Best Animated Feature win for Marvel. Peter Ramsey is also the first black person to be nominated and win in this category as a co-director.
Mahershala Ali Wins Best Supporting Actor
The star made history by becoming the first black actor to win Best Supporting Actor twice. This year, he won for Green Book. In 2017, he won for Moonlight.