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<\/a>Nicholas Thornton\n<\/strong>MC Contributor\/Staff Writer<\/em><\/p>\n
The recent uproar over what some call the \u201cWhite-out In Hollywood\u201d when no blacks were nominated for the 2016 Academy Awards, has fueled a discussion on the struggle for African-Americans in the film industry.<\/p>\n
Some decided to boycott the 88th Academy Awards when the Oscars revealed their list for the top four categories, Best Actor and Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, only white actors and actresses were selected for these positions.<\/p>\n
Jaylen Moore, a freshman computer engineering major from West Memphis, Ark., believes the boycott was justified.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe anything dealing with race; black people always end up having to fight!\u00a0 Keep fighting for it until you get the change that you want,\u201d said Moore.<\/p>\n
Winning the coveted Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony symbolizes great cinematic achievements in the movie industry.\u00a0 Some believe that Academy\u2019s failure to even nominate blacks is an affront to the many talented African-American actors and actresses and the movies they appeared in during the awards cycle. Movies like Will Smith\u2019s \u201cConcussion\u201d, Michael B. Jordan\u2019s \u201cCreed\u201d, and Ice Cube\u2019s \u201cStraight Outta Compton\u201d,\u00a0 were just a few of the movies some felt deserved recognition.<\/p>\n
Danielle Hunt, a junior biology major from Jackson, Miss. believes the lack of black nominees should be addressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s right!\u00a0 There needs to be variety within the Oscars.\u00a0 BET has white nominees,\u201d said Hunt.<\/p>\n
Some believe that African-Americans not credited in Hollywood for positive roles but win for negative portrayals.\u00a0 Denzel Washington was finally recognized for his accomplishments and won an Oscar for Best Actor when he played a crooked cop in the film \u201cTraining Day.\u201d\u00a0 However with other award shows such as The Golden Globes, Tony Awards, and the Emmy awards show African-Americans are represented and awarded for their skills in talents in a movies that showcase a more positive light within the African-American community.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to look at the judges.\u00a0 They are older white people.\u00a0 You can\u2019t expect them to critique movies like Straight Outta Compton and Concussion in the same view,\u201d said Alexis Hunt, a freshman elementary education major from Forest, Miss.<\/p>\n
La Curtis Powell, a freshman criminal justice major from Jackson, Miss., agrees with Hunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s wrong.\u00a0 The committee is all white.\u00a0 The only time blacks are nominated is if they are playing roles as slaves or whores,\u201d said Powell.<\/p>\n
The Academy judge\u2019s decision has sparked uproar with the general public and many in the film industry like Jada Pinkett- Smith and Spike Lee.<\/p>\n
\u201cTalent is everywhere but opportunity isn\u2019t,\u201d said Idris Elba to ABC News Nightline. Many thought Elba deserved an Oscar nomination for his role in \u201cBeast of No Nation\u201d.<\/p>\n
George Clooney also expressed his thoughts saying to Nightline, \u201cI think African-Americans have a real fair point that the industry isn\u2019t representing them well enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey Dash also gave her view on blacks in Hollywood sparking another controversy and repudiation from the black community.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET, and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you\u2019re only awarded if you\u2019re black,\u201d she explained. \u201cIf it were the other way around, we would be up in arms. It\u2019s a double standard,\u201d said Dash, a Fox News contributor.<\/p>\n
On Jan. 21, in a unanimous vote, the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences approved a sweeping series of substantive changes designed to make the Academy\u2019s membership, its governing bodies, and its voting members significantly more diverse.\u00a0 The Board\u2019s goal is to commit to doubling the number of women and diverse members of the Academy by 2020, according to www.oscars.org.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Academy is going to lead and not wait for the industry to catch up,\u201d said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. \u201cThese new measures regarding governance and voting will have an immediate impact and begin the process of significantly changing our membership composition.\u201d<\/p>\n
The following MC301 Introduction to News Reporting students contributed to the story written by Nicholas Thornton: Kendra Brown, Ashli Coggins, Kennedy Jones, Xavier Manning, and Moses Everette<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
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