1940 First African American Actress to Win an Oscar

Vivien Leigh and Hattie McDaniel are shown in a publicity still for the 1939 film "Gone with the Wind," which swept the Academy Awards on Feb. 29, 1940. Best Supporting Actress Hattie McDaniel was the first African American actress to win an Oscar. (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

Actress Hattie McDaniel won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at the 1940 Academy Awards.  McDaniel played the role of the sassy maid "Mammy" in the film adaptation of  "Gone With the Wind."  McDaniel received some criticism for accepting the role because of the film's nostalgia for the pre-war South.

The film swept the Oscars that year, taking home a total of 10 awards, including Best Picture.

Also on This Day in History:

1996 MPAA Ratings for TV

Television broadcasters agreed to a rating system similar to the movie industry's.

Famous Birthdays

1916 Dinah Shore

1936 Alex Rocco

1944 Dennis Farina

1948 Ken Foree

1952 Tim Powers

1972 Saul Williams

1976 Ja Rule

View more videos from This Month in History: February.