What’s the history of Black representation at the Emmy Awards?

Plenty of Black actors, directors, and creators were nominated at the 2024 Emmys. Television’s biggest night came with some groundbreaking representation and one clear winner.

Hollywood’s journey toward diversity has been long and often slow. Yet, the 2024 Emmy Awards marked another step forward in recognizing the contributions of creators, actors, and directors of color. Out of the 96 possible acting nominations this year, 30 nominees were people of color, including 17 Black nominees. The recognition of talent extended beyond racial lines, with nominations from LGBTQ and Indigenous communities as well.

This year’s level of diversity continues a positive trend for Black creators, actors, and directors, signaling long-overdue industry acknowledgment with some history-making moments.

The big (and unexpected) win 

The 2024 Emmys held surprises, including a standout moment when Lamorne Morris won his first Emmy for his role in Fargo. In a lighthearted and emotional acceptance speech, Morris thanked God, his mother, and jokingly mentioned his daughter’s approval, while fanboying over fellow nominee Robert Downey Jr. This win not only highlighted Morris’ talent but added to the expanding representation of Black actors being celebrated for their craft.

Nominations for Black Actors and Actresses & Past Trends

Here are just some of the 17 Black nominees that were recognized for their work on screen:

• Idris Elba, lead actor in a drama series for his role in “Hijack”

• Donald Glover, lead actor in a drama series for his role in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”

• Quinta Brunson, lead actress in a comedy series, for her role in “Abbott Elementary”

• Ayo Edebiri, lead actress in a comedy series, for her role in “The Bear”

Supporting actors and actresses in series such as “Abbot Elementary,” “Fargo,” and “The Bear” also made a strong showing on the nominations, with names such as the legendary Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tyler James Williams, and Lionel Boyce getting love. 

For some of the nominees, it wasn’t their first time gracing the Emmys red carpet. This year’s nomination was the sixth nomination for Idris Elba, and Donald Glover previously took home acting and directing awards for his work on “Atlanta” in 2017. He was the first Black director to win an Emmy for directing a comedy series. 

While the 2024 Emmys signal progress, the industry still has ground to cover. Historically, Black performers were severely underrepresented at the Emmys. Between 1966 and 2014, less than 5% of lead acting nominations in comedy or drama were awarded to Black actors. The late Sammy Davis Jr. was one of the first Black performers to be recognized in 1956 for “Best Specialty Act,” but years passed before similar recognition became more common.

In 1963, Harry Belafonte made history as the first Black person to win an Emmy for his special Tonight with Belafonte, marking an early victory for Black representation in an era where such recognition was rare. It wasn’t until the 1980s, however, that Black actors began making more consistent strides. Isabel Sanford, for instance, became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1981 for her role as Louise Jefferson on The Jeffersons.

In 1990, James Earl Jones won for his performance in Heat Wave, and Jackée Harry made history as the first and, so far, only Black woman to win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for 227.

More recently, historic nominations have included Viola Davis, who, in 2015, became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in How to Get Away with Murder. Her iconic acceptance speech highlighted the ongoing fight for opportunities in Hollywood: “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity.” That moment served as a cultural touchstone, inspiring future generations of performers. Sterling K. Brown followed suit with back-to-back Emmy wins in 2016 and 2017 for his performances in The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and This Is Us.

Black Excellence Behind the Camera 

At the 2024 Emmys, recognition of Black talent behind the camera is grew too. Salli Richardson-Whitfield was nominated as a director for a drama series for her direction of “Beat L.A.” for the series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” That makes her the first Black woman nominated in this category — a landmark achievement for gender and racial diversity at the awards.

In addition to being nominated for his work in front of the camera, Donald Glover was nominated as a writer on “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” It’s not Glover’s first foray into behind-the-scenes for the Emmys, but his continued presence on the nomination list bodes well for Black creators in Hollywood. 

Diversity is also showing up in the nomination lists for less-well-known awards, such as the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Specials (Pre-Recorded), which includes comedian Trevor Noah’s “Where Was I” and Dave Chappelle’s “The Dreamer.”

What the 2024 Emmys Mean for Black Representation in Hollywood

Increased inclusion at the Emmys and other elite Hollywood awards ceremonies in recent years reflects calls from performers and activists alike to acknowledge their hard work. Issa Rae’s “rooting for everybody Black” comments in 2017 and 2022 probably still hold true today, and she’s likely not the only one rooting for greater representation among Emmy winners. 

Just as forebearers like Harry Belafonte—the first Black person to win an Emmy—broke molds and pioneered diversity on the small screen, the Black actors, actresses, creators, and directors who’ve earned a place in the 2024 Emmy Awards ceremony, whether they won in their category or not, are breaking down barriers and helping to cement a more inclusive industry that may welcome more Black talent in the future. 

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