<Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Barkhad Abdi </Td> <Td> Captain Phillips </Td> <Td> Abduwali Muse </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second black actor born in Africa (specifically in Somalia) to receive an Academy Award nomination . Second black actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for a debut performance . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Mahershala Ali </Td> <Td> Moonlight </Td> <Td> Juan </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Second film to feature black nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress . First Muslim actor to win an Oscar . First time two African - American performers won in supporting role Oscars in the same year (Viola Davis, Fences). </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="6"> Best Actress in a Supporting Role </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Film </Th> <Th> Role </Th> <Th> Status </Th> <Th> Milestone </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1939 </Td> <Td> Hattie McDaniel </Td> <Td> Gone with the Wind </Td> <Td> Mammy </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> First African American to win an Academy Award . First African American to be nominated for acting . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1949 </Td> <Td> Ethel Waters </Td> <Td> Pinky </Td> <Td> Mrs. Dicey Johnson (Pinky's Granny) </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second African American to be nominated for an Academy Award . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1959 </Td> <Td> Juanita Moore </Td> <Td> Imitation of Life </Td> <Td> Annie Johnson </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1967 </Td> <Td> Beah Richards </Td> <Td> Guess Who's Coming to Dinner </Td> <Td> Mrs. Prentice </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> If Carol Channing's claim of African - American heritage is accurate (it was not known at the time and has not been independently confirmed), this would be the first time multiple African - American actresses received Best Supporting Actress nominations </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Alfre Woodard </Td> <Td> Cross Creek </Td> <Td> Geechee </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1985 </Td> <Td> Margaret Avery </Td> <Td> The Color Purple </Td> <Td> Shug Avery </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First (or second, see Beah Richards above) time multiple African - American actresses received Best Supporting Actress nominations . First time multiple African - American actresses received nominations for the same film . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Oprah Winfrey </Td> <Td> Sofia </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1990 </Td> <Td> Whoopi Goldberg </Td> <Td> Ghost </Td> <Td> Oda Mae Brown </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> First African - American actress to receive two acting nominations overall . Second African - American actress to win Best Supporting Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Marianne Jean - Baptiste </Td> <Td> Secrets & Lies </Td> <Td> Hortense Cumberbatch </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> Queen Latifah </Td> <Td> Chicago </Td> <Td> Matron Mama Morton </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First female hip hop artist to be nominated for an Academy Award . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sophie Okonedo </Td> <Td> Hotel Rwanda </Td> <Td> Tatiana Rusesabagina </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> Jennifer Hudson </Td> <Td> Dreamgirls </Td> <Td> Effie White </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Youngest African - American actor (male or female) to win an Academy Award (age 25). First film to feature African - American nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> Ruby Dee </Td> <Td> American Gangster </Td> <Td> Mama Lucas </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Oldest African - American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award (age 83). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2008 </Td> <Td> Viola Davis </Td> <Td> Doubt </Td> <Td> Mrs. Miller </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second (or third, see Beah Richards above) time multiple African - American actresses received Best Supporting Actress nominations . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Taraji P. Henson </Td> <Td> The Curious Case of Benjamin Button </Td> <Td> Queenie </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> Mo'Nique </Td> <Td> Precious </Td> <Td> Mary Lee Johnston </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Second film to feature African - American nominees for both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> Octavia Spencer </Td> <Td> The Help </Td> <Td> Minny Jackson </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Third film to feature African - American nominees for both Best Actress and Supporting Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Lupita Nyong'o </Td> <Td> 12 Years a Slave </Td> <Td> Patsey </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> First black African (Kenyan) actress to be nominated . First black African to win in any category . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Viola Davis </Td> <Td> Fences </Td> <Td> Rose Maxson </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Tied with Octavia Spencer as the most nominated black actress ever with three nominations . First time two African - American performers won in supporting role Oscars in the same year (Mahershala Ali, Moonlight). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Naomie Harris </Td> <Td> Moonlight </Td> <Td> Paula </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Third black British actress to receive an Academy Award nomination Second film to feature black nominees for both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Octavia Spencer </Td> <Td> Hidden Figures </Td> <Td> Dorothy Vaughan </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Third black actress following Whoopi Goldberg and Viola Davis to earn multiple Oscar nominations . First black actress to be nominated after previously winning . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> The Shape of Water </Td> <Td> Zelda Fuller </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First black actress to be nominated twice after previously winning . First black actress to be nominated two years in a row . Tied with Viola Davis as the most nominated black actress ever with three nominations . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mary J. Blige </Td> <Td> Mudbound </Td> <Td> Florence Jackson </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First black woman to receive multiple Oscar nominations in the same year . First person nominated for an Academy Award for acting and writing an original song in the same year . Her nomination made Dee Rees the first African - American woman to direct a film for which an actor or actress was nominated for an Academy Award . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="6"> Best Actress in a Supporting Role </Td> </Tr>

First black female actress to win an oscar