The End of the Black Oscars

Feb. 23, 2007— -- By now you're probably aware that the Oscars are upon us. If you've picked up a newspaper or flipped on the TV, you already know that preparations are in full force, predictions are flying, and that the gale-force whirlwind that is the Academy Awards has begun.

You may think you know all there is to know about Hollywood's biggest night, but there is one Oscar night tradition you probably haven't heard about: the Black Oscars.

Tired of being overlooked by the Academy Awards, African-American actors, directors, producers and executives launched the Black Oscars more than two decades ago to celebrate black performers. A secret ceremony held on the eve of Oscar night, the Black Oscars -- which includes such participants as James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Whitney Houston and Will Smith -- was traditionally a time for black Hollywood to honor its own.

But not this year.

For the first time in more than 25 years, the Friends of the Black Oscars, the secretive group that sponsored the event, decided that the black Oscars have finally become obsolete. Since 2002, when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington took home best actor and best actress statuettes, African-American actors and actresses have consistently had a more significant presence in the race for Oscar.

This year a record-breaking five African-American actors and actresses -- Forest Whitaker, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Will Smith and Djimon Hounsou -- were nominated. In the words of a member of the Friends of the Black Oscars board, "This year, the Black Oscars will be at Kodak."

"I often used to enjoy the fact that I could name all the black Oscar winners and do it rather quickly because there weren't that many of them. It's getting harder and harder," said Todd Boyd, a professor of critical studies at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

While Hollywood's African-American community acknowledges that strides toward equality have been made in the past decade, some remain critical of the Academy and the film industry for their failure to acknowledge black directors, producers and executives as well.