Actors like Halle Berry and Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier broke the mould in Hollywood when they they won big at the Academy Awards in 2002. African American actors in Hollywood have never been more at the forefront than they are now. They are now being recognized by the Academy Awards for taking on quintessentially black roles in film.
Four movies from 2013 come to mind - "12 Years A Slave," "Lee Daniels' The Butler," "Fruitvale Station" and "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom."
If "12 Years a Slave" bags best picture, it will be the first time a black director has done so.
Nonetheless, this does not prove that non-white communities are adequately represented in Hollywood.
Case in point: out of the nine best picture nominees, seven do not have any black cast members.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, in the running for best actor and Lupita Nyong'o and Barkhad Abdi (supporting categories) are represented.
In the past, a little more than 50 African-American black actors and actresses have been nominated and/or won Oscars in the history of its existence.