Academy to Replace Hattie McDaniel's Missing Oscar, Honoring First Black Actor's Legacy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is set to replace Hattie McDaniel's historic Oscar, which has been missing for 60 years. McDaniel, the first Black actor to win a competitive Oscar, won the award for Best Supporting Actress in 1940 for her role in "Gone with the Wind." The replacement Oscar will be gifted to Howard University, to which McDaniel bequeathed the plaque upon her death in 1952. The university will receive the replacement plaque in a ceremony titled "Hattie's Come Home." The Academy's decision to replace the Oscar is seen as a way to honor McDaniel's resilience and contributions to the film industry.