<P> This list of black Academy Award winners and nominees is current as of the 89th Academy Awards ceremony, and incomplete with regard to the winners for the 90th Academy Awards, which were held on March 4, 2018 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="6"> Best Actor in a Leading 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> 1958 </Td> <Td> Sidney Poitier </Td> <Td> The Defiant Ones </Td> <Td> Noah Cullen </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First African - American actor to be nominated for Best Actor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> Lilies of the Field </Td> <Td> Homer Smith </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> First black man to win an Oscar . First African - American actor to win Best Actor . First Bahamian to win Best Actor . First African - American actor to receive two acting nominations (Best Actor). Youngest African - American actor to win Best Actor (age 37). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1970 </Td> <Td> James Earl Jones </Td> <Td> The Great White Hope </Td> <Td> Jack Jefferson </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1972 </Td> <Td> Paul Winfield </Td> <Td> Sounder </Td> <Td> Nathan Lee Morgan </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First film to feature African - American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1986 </Td> <Td> Dexter Gordon </Td> <Td> Round Midnight </Td> <Td> Dale Turner </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First jazz musician to be nominated for Best Actor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1989 </Td> <Td> Morgan Freeman </Td> <Td> Driving Miss Daisy </Td> <Td> Hoke Colburn </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1992 </Td> <Td> Denzel Washington </Td> <Td> Malcolm X </Td> <Td> Malcolm X </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1993 </Td> <Td> Laurence Fishburne </Td> <Td> What's Love Got to Do with It </Td> <Td> Ike Turner </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second film to feature African - American nominees for both Best Actor and Best Actress . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1994 </Td> <Td> Morgan Freeman </Td> <Td> The Shawshank Redemption </Td> <Td> Ellis Boyd' Red' Redding </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> Denzel Washington </Td> <Td> The Hurricane </Td> <Td> Rubin Carter </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2001 </Td> <Td> Training Day </Td> <Td> Alonzo Harris </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> Second African - American actor to receive the award for Best Actor . First time two African - American performers won in leading role Oscars in the same year (Halle Berry, Monster's Ball). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Will Smith </Td> <Td> Ali </Td> <Td> Muhammad Ali </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First time multiple African - American actors received Best Actor nominations . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jamie Foxx </Td> <Td> Ray </Td> <Td> Ray Charles </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> First African - American actor to receive two acting nominations in the same year . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Don Cheadle </Td> <Td> Hotel Rwanda </Td> <Td> Paul Rusesabagina </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> Terrence Howard </Td> <Td> Hustle & Flow </Td> <Td> DJay </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> Forest Whitaker </Td> <Td> The Last King of Scotland </Td> <Td> Idi Amin </Td> <Td> Won </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Will Smith </Td> <Td> The Pursuit of Happyness </Td> <Td> Chris Gardner </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> Morgan Freeman </Td> <Td> Invictus </Td> <Td> Nelson Mandela </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> Denzel Washington </Td> <Td> Flight </Td> <Td> William "Whip" Whitaker </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Chiwetel Ejiofor </Td> <Td> 12 Years a Slave </Td> <Td> Solomon Northup </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> First black British actor to be nominated for Best Actor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Denzel Washington </Td> <Td> Fences </Td> <Td> Troy Maxson </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> Roman J. Israel, Esq . </Td> <Td> Roman J. Israel </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Denzel Washington has the most nominations for an African - American Actor: Best Actor (6 nominations) and Best Supporting Actor (2 nominations). First African - American actor to be nominated two years in a row </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Daniel Kaluuya </Td> <Td> Get Out </Td> <Td> Chris Washington </Td> <Td> Nominated </Td> <Td> Second black British actor to be nominated for Best Actor </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td_colspan="6"> Best Actor in a Leading Role </Td> </Tr>

Who was the first black male to win an oscar