Historic POC Oscar Firsts — A Timeline of Trailblazers
By The DivaGals | March 13, 2026 | Celebrity & Culture
Grab your most glamorous gown and pop the champagne, because we are rolling out the red carpet to celebrate the ultimate Oscar trailblazers! The Academy Awards have a long, complicated history, but nothing shines brighter than those iconic moments when pure, undeniable talent shattered the glass ceiling.
Here are five spectacular, history-making Oscar firsts by People of Color that completely changed the game
1940 | First Black Person to Win an Oscar: The absolute legend Hattie McDaniel. She took home Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind. Despite facing unimaginable segregation at the ceremony itself, she paved the way with grace, poise, and game-changing talent.
1951 | First Latin Person to Win an Oscar: The incredibly dashing José Ferrer. He won Best Actor for his masterful performance in Cyrano de Bergerac. And we always have to give a fabulous shoutout to the EGOT queen Rita Moreno, who became the first Latina actress to win a decade later!
1983 | First Indigenous Person to Win an Oscar: The iconic Buffy Sainte-Marie, who took home Best Original Song for co-writing the soaring anthem “Up Where We Belong.”
2002 | First Woman of Color to Win Best Actress: The breathtaking Halle Berry. When she won for Monster’s Ball, her emotional, tear-jerking speech was a monumental cultural moment. Shockingly, she remains the only Black woman to ever win in the leading actress category.
2006 | First POC to Win Best Director: The brilliant Ang Lee. He became the first non-white filmmaker to win Best Director for Brokeback Mountain, fully cementing his status as a cinematic visionary.
2014 | First Movie by a POC Director to Win Best Picture: The profound and powerful 12 Years a Slave. Visionary British filmmaker Steve McQueen made history as the first Black director and producer to take home the night’s biggest, most coveted prize.
2019 | First Indigenous Person to Win an Oscar for Acting: The legendary Wes Studi. He broke the mold as the first Native American actor to receive an Academy Honorary Award for his incredible, decades-long acting career in film. We are still waiting for our first competitive acting win in this category.
2020 | First Non-English Language Film to Win Best Picture: The cinematic masterpiece Parasite. South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho swept the awards, proving that once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.
Tune in for the 98th Oscars® airing live on March 15, on ABC and streaming on Hulu, to see who will shatter the glass ceiling next on Hollywood’s most glamorous night!
photo credit: Barunson E&A
