Did You Know #5 - The Black Oscars
A special "Did You Know" in honor of the upcoming Academy Award Oscar celebration on Sunday Did You Know...
... From around 1982 until 2007, African-American actors, directors, producers and executives held a secret ceremony on the night before Oscar night, to celebrate black performers, calling the event, the Black Oscars. Every talent, from the likes of Samuel L. Jackson to Will Smith, participated in this event, which was considered a moment for black Hollywood to honor its own. In 2007, the "Friends of the Black Oscars," the secretive group that sponsored the event, decided that the Black Oscars had finally become obsolete, thanks in large part to the recent increases in the presence of black performers in the race for Oscar - Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Will Smith and Djimon Hounsou, notably.
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Yeah, I had heard about the 'secret' Black Oscars night... and I remember feeling a little sad that they were giving it up because of the so-called strides that were being made in the mainstream.
Maybe it's just me but, once again, it would seem that being validated by mainstream is more important than being encouraged, congratulated and honoured by the fringe/margins from whence you came.
I'm sure there are lots of up and coming black talent who would benefit from being recognised and encouraged by their more established colleagues.
I don't know... just seemed like the decision to stop the event seemed like a rather myopic 'I'm alright, Jack' attitued to take.