History Made As African-American Actors Win Big At The 2017 Oscars (Photos)

African-American actors have won big at the 89th Academy Awards, popularly known as Oscars, scooping Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture awards.

Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim African American actor to win the Best Supporting Actor award

Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim African-American actor to win the Best Supporting Actor award for his role as Juan in the film Moonlight.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis also won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Fences, in which she acts alongside Denzel Washington.

Viola Davis speaking after she won Best Supporting Actress Oscar

Barry Jenkins

Moonlight, which features an African-American majority cast, also won the Best Picture Award. Barry Jenkins, its African-American director, accepted the award.

Moonlight director Barry Jenkins accepts the award for Best Picture

Ezra Edelman

Another African-American director/producer, Ezra Edelman, won the Oscar for Best Documentary for his film, O. J.: Made in America.

History made as African-American actors win BIG at the 2017 Oscars (photos)

Ezra Edelman accepting the award for best Documentary

This year’s Oscars ceremony has been hailed as more inclusive and diverse following last year’s controversial edition that was deemed as favoring white film performers.

Several other African American actors had also been nominated for various awards, including Denzel Washington (Best Actor), Ruth Negga (Best Actress), Naomie Harris (Best Supporting Actress) and Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress).