Looking Back at the First African American Winners of an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar

Since its initial observation in the United States in 1976, Black History Month celebrates the achievements, contributions, culture, and history of African Americans. Every year, the Copyright Office highlights the impact of Black artists within the copyright system. In particular, copyright incentivizes the production of performing arts works, which are generally intended to be performed before an audience. This category of protectable works includes the creative content celebrated by the Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars: audiovisual works; dramatic works; musical compositions, including any lyrics; sound recordings; and motion pictures. This year, timed with awards season, we’re looking back at the first African American winners of an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar and the impact these individuals have had in shaping the entertainment industry we know today. 

First African American Emmy Winner: Harry Belafonte   

Harry Belafonte, born 1927 in Harlem, New York, was a singer, actor, and civil rights activist. In the 1950s, Belafonte became a pioneer of calypso music, blending Caribbean rhythms with American folk, jazz, and pop, and was widely credited for making the genre popular in the United States.  

In 1960, Harry Belafonte made history as the first African American to win a Primetime Emmy for Tonight with Belafonte. His win of the winged statuette for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series showcased his talents as a singer and performer. The program, which aired on CBS, highlighted Bellafonte’s heritage and his commitment to social justice. 

Our public registration records are filled with creative works by Belafonte, including the registration for his book, My Song: A Memoir. 

First African American Grammy Winner: Ella Fitzgerald   

Born in Newport News, Virginia, in 1917, Ella Fitzerald was a jazz singer known as the “First Lady of Song.” Fitzgerald gained national recognition at the age of 17 when her name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo Theater, winning her a chance to perform at “amateur night.” In the 1950s and 1960s, she recorded her famous Song Book series, making covers of musical works by Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and George Gershwin, among others.  

In 1959, she became the first African American to win a Grammy at the inaugural Grammy Awards. Fitzgerald won Best Jazz Performance for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book. Over the span of her career, she won twelve more gramophone statuettes—totaling thirteen Grammy Awards—and sold over 40 million albums.   

Find the registration record for an updated compilation of recordings in Ella Fitzgerald sings the Duke Ellington songbook and Ella Fitzerald sings the Irving Berlin song book in our public records.  

 First African American Oscar Winner: Hattie McDaniel   

Born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1893, Hattie McDaniel was a film actress, singer-songwriter, stage actress, radio performer, and comedian. McDaniel became the first African American to win an Oscar, officially known as the Academy Award of Merit, at the twelfth Academy Awards. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind.  

Beyond Gone with the Wind, McDaniel’s filmography included over eighty feature films and hundreds of uncredited film roles. McDaniel also landed the leading role in the 1947 radio program, The Beulah Show, indicating that she was one of the first Black women to lead a radio program. In 1926 and 1927, McDaniel published several songs, including “Just One Sorrowing Heart,” “I’ve Changed My Mind,” and “Boo-Hoo Blues.” 

 Learn more about registering your musical compositions, including lyrics, sound recordings, choreography, motion pictures, and similar types of works. 

Looking for resources to learn more about the impact of Black creativity? Visit blackhistorymonth.gov.  

The Copyright Office aims to broaden public awareness of what the copyright system encompasses and how to participate in it. A cornerstone of the Office’s current strategic plan is the advancement of Copyright for All, and the Office is committed to making the copyright system as clear and accessible to as many members of the public as possible, particularly individuals, small businesses, and historically underserved populations.