“The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, along with the Academy Museum, recently announced their decision to replace Hattie McDaniel’s historic Oscar award, which had been missing for 50 years.
In 1940, this trailblazing actress earned a plaque for her exceptional performance as Mammy in ‘Gone with the Wind,’ making her the first Black person to be nominated and win this prestigious accolade. During that time, it was customary for supporting performance winners to receive a plaque instead of a statuette.
The plaque will find its new home at Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts during a special event titled ‘Hattie’s Come Home,’ held at the Ira Aldridge Theater in Washington D.C. on October 1.
Sadly, due to the racist policies of the era, McDaniel was not allowed to sit with the film’s other nominees when she won her award. Before her passing in 1952 from breast cancer, she expressed the wish that her award be donated to the historically Black university.”
