Well the Oscars are out and African Americans are cheering; they are happy with many wide grins on their faces. I hate to rain on everyone’s parade and bring everybody down, but I have to open your eyes. There have only been six African Americans to ever win the Oscar in 114 years. One more have was nominated to even get a chance to win: Louis Gossett Jr. in A Officer and A Gentleman.  

We must respect the award, Best Supporting Actress Hattie McDaniel in the 1939 Movie classic Gone with the Wind. She will always be the first African American to ever win an Oscar. It would be over thirty years before another Black actor or actress would win again. McDaniel had to endure the sting of Black activists not liking her role (A Black Mambo) in this movie, but at least she broke the invisible barrier. She carried that burden the rest of her life. 

In 1964 Sidney Porter will always be the first Black male to ever win the Best Actor award in Lilies of the Field, but he should have won one more with the two all time classics, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and the epic The Long Ships. I’ve always enjoyed watching the movie “The Long Ships” because it was just a battle between two worlds: the Viking warriors and the Moor warriors after a big gold bell. A battle, which seems to be continuing worldwide today. Only the characters and issues are different and the world much bigger. 

Again it would be another thirty years before another African American would win the famed Oscar. 1990 Whoopi Goldberg won a best supporting actress award in “Ghost”, becoming only the third African American to win. Whoopi was the spirit (a white male) guiding Demi Moore to safety after a greedy co-worker kills her husband.  

1996 Cuba Gooding Jr., would be number four and the second African American male for Best Supporting Actor in the sports movie “Jerry Maguire”. Mr. Gooding should have received one for “Men of Honor”. This movie was about a navy non-commission officer who wanted to join the Navy diving team. It was a story about how he became the first African American Navy Diver in the United States. He becomes disabled after a diving accident and the Navy wants to dismiss him from duty. He proves to them that he can still do the job on one leg.                                                   

African Americans should all be saying SHOW ME MORE AWARDS, PLEASE. 

African Americans still have a lot of work to do. Yes, Halle Berry and Denzell Washington won the Oscars this year, but I have to ask a few questions: Berry’s role in “Monster Ball”, was not that great, so is the Academy just rewarding her for her past two movies?

Washington’s very strange and different role as a corrupt policeman. A rouge policeman on the take from everybody in the street. He is training a good unsuspecting White rookie cop how to make it in the mean streets of South Side Los Angeles. He is training him to take his place when he resigns. This is not one of Washington’s best roles.

Why does Halle Berry have to undress and simulate making love to a white man to get an Oscar? She is one of the most talented African American women on this planet, plus she is just a beautiful woman. Anybody that went to see the movie “Saving Isaiah” could see that this young woman could act. So why be nude for all America to see? God gave her the gracious gift of acting.  

Denzel Washington could need a wheelbarrow to take away the Oscars he deserves. In 1989 “Malcolm X”, 1992 “Glory”, 1999 “The Hurricane” and his best one 1995 “Crimson Tide”. So why then be a very bad cop after all of these wonderful roles?

I think everybody knows the reason why only six African Americans have taken home the Oscars in 114 years. America is slowly moving to include everybody but it will take more time.

It’s just what Middle America wants to see and will accept. The Academy, which members now number 345, votes on who gets nominated and who wins. There are only 25 African American members, three Asian, and two Latino members. So it’s very obvious what happens every year.

The Academy gives awards to issues and subjects that they are most comfortable with and that they like. Spike Lee might be waiting a very long time to get his Oscar because his subjects are not what mainstream America wants to see. 

We need more African American Directors, producers, and writers. For example, Spike Lee and his long list of movies, “Do the Right Thing”, “Malcolm X”, and “Jungle Fever”. One of these three pictures should have at least been nominated. We need the voting power to get these movies distinguished; yes, work still needs to be done.

I’m very proud of all of my African American Brothers and Sisters in the movie industry they have to work so hard to get their product seen. So, RIGHT ON, Denzel, and YOU GO GIRL!!! Ms. Berry, may the flood gates open for more next year.

THAT IS THE GRAY LINE!

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