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Black People, We Need To Quit The Oscars
How the Academy Awards ceremony remains an instrument of white supremacy
I stopped watching the Oscars over 20 years ago. It is my staunch belief the Black community and other marginalized groups need to stop watching as well.
Why?
Because the Oscars were never intended to recognize Black excellence in film.
Most entertainment-industry award shows fall in this category too, but I’m going to single out the Oscars because it’s considered the most prestigious award in the film industry.
In its 95-year history, only 23 Oscars have been awarded to Black actors.
Instead, the Academy frequently nominates deserving Black actors to solicit Black viewership and the inevitable online chatter that accompanies it, only to pull a bait-and-switch move by recognizing white actors.
This scheme became crystal clear during the 2023 Oscars ceremony. Angela Bassett was nominated for Best Actress In A Supporting Role for her portrayal as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She should have won for her tour de force performance.
Instead, the award was given to Jamie Lee Curtis — a Hollywood nepotism baby — for her five minutes of screen time in Everything…
