Every Black Director Nominated for an Oscar, From John Singleton to Spike Lee (Photos)

In 2019, Spike Lee became only the sixth Black director to receive an Oscar nomination in the Academy’s history for his work on “BlackKklansman.” But so far, no Black filmmaker has won in that category.

John Singleton, “Boyz N the Hood” (1991) • Two years after Spike Lee was passed over for a nomination for “Do the Right Thing,” John Singleton became the first African American to earn a Best Director nomination for his star-studded drama set in South Central L.A. That year, Jonathan Demme won the award for “The Silence of the Lambs.”