The first Black Oscar winners in history reshaped Academy Awards night across eight decades. From Hattie McDaniel in 1940 to modern supporting-acting victors, here is the milestone timeline every film fan should know.

Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress for Gone with the Wind in 1940 — the first Black Oscar winner in history. She accepted inside a segregated ballroom, making the triumph both groundbreaking and bittersweet.

Sidney Poitier won Best Actor for Lilies of the Field in 1964 — the first Black lead-actor victor. His statuette expanded the first Black Oscar winners in history list to the Academy's most visible acting category.

Halle Berry won Best Actress for Monster's Ball in 2002 — the first Black woman to claim the prize. She remains the only Black Best Actress winner, a record that defines the first Black Oscar winners in history conversation today.

Lupita Nyong'o, Mahershala Ali, Regina King, and Ariana DeBose added supporting-acting wins. Mahershala Ali became the first Black actor to win twice in the same category — extending the first Black Oscar winners in history timeline.