Steve McQueen‘s slavery-themed film 12 Years a Slave won the top honor at the 86th Annual Academy Awards Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Actor Will Smith, who was awarded a Razzie on Saturday for worst actor in a flop (After Earth), presented the Best Picture Oscar Award to 12 Years a Slave.
Director McQueen said: “Everyone deserves not just to survive but to live… I dedicate this award to all the people who have endured slavery and the 21 million people who still suffer slavery today.”
It was another “end of white guilt” moment for the Oscar Academy who have conditioned audiences to believe that black actors are only at their best when they portray slaves or humble domestic help.
Earlier in the telecast, Oscar host Ellen Degeneres quipped, “Possibility Number One, 12 Years a Slave Wins. Possibility Number Two, you’re all racists.”
The great actress Hattie McDaniel, the first black actor to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mammy in the epic Gone With the Wind in 1939, once said, “Hell, I’d rather play a maid than be one.”
The irony that is lost on us is that we are still playing maids 75 years later, and we are still playing slaves 200 years after slavery was abolished in America.
Black people who don’t know any better will take pride in McQueen’s achievement, but until the Academy’s old guard respects black actors for roles other than slaves, humble housemaids and drug addicts nothing will change in Hollywood.
12 Years a Slave Runs Away With Best Picture Oscar
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This tickled me.
I see what you did Sandra.
Has anyone ever seen sankofa? Wonderful movie on slavery!
I agree with everything Auntie…honestly I’m happy for the cast but end of the day white mainstream only praises us when we play those types of roles so eff them
I missed the awards. I do struggle with the fact that we only seem to be honored for playing slaves, maids, butlers, drug lords, sex objects or deviants
Why can’t we win for other roles? Better yet why can’t we be cast for other roles.
Morning all
It is so quiet here at my job. Geesh. Make you wanna go home.
@Man I left off an o in email account
That might be why you never got it
right?
It is jcstanb @
Soooo… did Matthew McConaughey borrow, “Alright, alright, alright” from Kevin Hart or vice versa?
Buttercup, folks Bean saying that since before lil man
Didnt watch the Oscars… Haven’t been to the movies
Wayment :stop: so are y’all saving Kevin Hart and Tyler Perry weren’t nominated for anything
Congrats! Heard it was a good movie… Morning Roses!
@Donte, Not nuthin!!
Wayment :stop: so are y’all saving Kevin Hart and Tyler Perry weren’t nominated for anything
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I think Kevin Hart knew better as he was at CIAA stuff
Unless he flew byke Sunday morning
Can we get a medical minute on eating chicken, after having a vegetarian diet for 10 years?? My tummy hurts..
Tyler perry movies aren’t oscar worthy,.. Bet and NAACP is where he can get some unwarranted shine,… We don’t need madea at the oscars
Speaking of TP. He is starting to aggravate me. In all of his roles he does the same voice, mannerisms and word choices. I mean his “mamle” roles. And on his commercials for the Have Nots he seems so phony with his “ya’ll watch ma show now ya hear meh?” :stop
@SANDRA
“Earlier in the telecast, Oscar host Ellen Degeneres quipped, “Possibility Number One, 12 Years a Slave Wins. Possibility Number Two, you’re all racists.”
The great actress Hattie McDaniel, the first black actor to win a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Mammy in the epic Gone With the Wind in 1939, once said, “Hell, I’d rather play a maid than be one.”
The irony that is lost on us is that we are still playing maids 75 years later, and we are still playing slaves 200 years after slavery was abolished in America.
Black people who don’t know any better will take pride in McQueen’s achievement, but until the Academy’s old guard respects black actors for roles other than slaves, humble housemaids and drug addicts nothing will change in Hollywood.”
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Been your best write up I can remember. 100% accurate. Sadly seems like we only are offered roles like this. SMH.
@MISTAKEN
Yeah, that’s my email!
@Ashland: what made you eat meat? I have streamlined into a healthier diet that past few weeks and am lowering my red meat intake. I can’t say I will every give up meat tho. Seems kinda important to me
I think we have to stop trying to be accepted by them. It just wont happen. Create our own movies and award shows and stop downplaying the award shows that already cater to us.
@sissy,
I’m thinking about changing my diet based on the seasons (hell we change what we wear)
Chicken fish in the winter
Vegetarian in the spring
Fruitarian in the summer
Vegan in the fall
But my stomach hurts like menstrual cramps and my bowels are weird lawd Jesus help me!
Great
I agree with Sandra’s write up, and I refuse to watch movies about slavey. My grams made us watch Roots when we were children, that was enough for a lifetime for me. Buttercup Matthew said it first in his Dazed and Confused movie. Kevin wasnt on the scene back then.
Yes, this is great We Still Slaves won! Not trying to take anything away, Steve. My sentiments exactly we are great acting in slave roles.
Wolf of Wall Street (we got a black version) Dallas Buyers Club, (we got a black version)
BITTER SWEET
Thanks Mrs. Mantha (my brain sees Mrs. Martha).
I
with Ni ni. I watched the BET Honors and I was very pleased with that event.
So sad many people ( black people) refuse to see this movie, I thought it was great and its awesome to learn that starting in September it will be part of the curriculum in schools. This movie wasn’t so much about slavery as it was about Freedom. This was in no way shape or form another Roots.
Hearts~n~Kisses says:
12 Years a Slave Runs Away With Best Picture Oscar
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This tickled me.
I see what you did Sandra.
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Best headline eva!
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*throws phone* *snickers*
Sandra, you better preach!!!
I refuse to watch #12YearsASlave, #TheButler, #TheHelp, #Precious, and #DjanoUnchained.
Eff Hollyweird.
Good Morning Everyone!
I agree that the roles we are recognized for are seriously lacking. I had a conversation with someone the other day who asked why most of our films picture promiscuity and cheating or slavery and other depressing subject matters. If not that then over the top “comedy/dramedy” like Tyler Perry. Is this all that we are?
It seems that black people are always made to be one or at best two dimensional characters in movies and it has always been that way. When we do have richer storylines that might lead to meaningful dialogue we still have to bring the funny, you know since we’re not capable of straight dramatic fare.
People will never see us as we are unless we are more accurately portrayed in film and tv and stop settling for the scraps we’re given.
I also don’t think this film should be shown in schools. Roots was a PG version of slavery that was more about the pride Alex Haley had in discovering his ancestry which is a feat for any black person in this country. This story is just morbid and should be screened by parents with their child. I’m grown and I left the theater depressed. Wouldn’t want the same for kids. Sorry for the book
I missed the awards. I do struggle with the fact that we only seem to be honored for playing slaves, maids, butlers, drug lords, sex objects or deviants
Why can’t we win for other roles? Better yet why can’t we be cast for other roles.
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JerseyGirl68 says:
Sandra, you better preach!!!
I refuse to watch #12YearsASlave, #TheButler, #TheHelp, #Precious, and #DjanoUnchained.
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While I agree mostly, Blue Jasmine could never get funded if it was predominantly Black actors. That’s the problem, and the ppl who can afford to produce movies like their own scripts.. Tyler. Oprah likes her network right now but I can see more film production in the future for her. So until you have other plots worthy of votes..
Anyway I don’t see much wrong with slave movies. Its our culture/history/shaping. WE love to limit ourselves. Crakkas make a billion movies bout Rome and white Jesus and pat themselves on the byke each and everytime. Always wanna keep up with the Steinbergs? Celebrate every victory instead of detracting. But gurl I agree, crakkas ass crakkas thank they slick but this aint the time for it
We got Brad and George Lucas.. gave them Clarence and Stacey Dash. We winning..
Wish I could chat.
miss yall.
Peeps got problems with watching this kind of stuff
Chile 
Some of these people NEED to see it, but I digress 
@Jersey, did you say that blacks should create an enterprise and only support our own?
Of course the day my job is slow nobody shows up to bully me
I’m like read EVERYTHING before you cosign..
Did any black people in here go see the all black thriller repentence? No on in that plays a slave or a butler or maid!
:wave: @OTB girl I been missing you. I thought somebody had fugged around and put the wrong amount of milk in yo ceral thinking they knew you.
They got you working dont they girl.
I don’t watch scary stuff. Or suspense if I can help it
And then some ppls don’t invite demons…in.
Well “we” have that movie with Forest Whittaker (sp?) coming out , where he plays a psycho killer. I think it will be good but we need people to support it just as much as they did Best Man Holiday. We need more black actors portraying different facets…
I said I was leaving let me go. .too early for peas.
Big up to brotha Solomon Northup and his decendents. I know this would be a proud moment for him if he were alive today. Not all black Oscar winners have won for slaves, maids and criminals roles. In fact most haven’t. Halle, Whoopi, Jamie & Cuba come to mind. Slavery was real, black maids were real. Why can’t their stories be told? Should maids be ashamed of their profession or something? Whatever. Anyway, congrats to Lupita, Steve, Brad and the rest of the production team and most of all brotha Solomon and his decendants.
Sothern.
ole crakkas. Make me sick. Imma try to sneak in later. 
Hey OTB :wave: don’t work too hard!
I know this would be a proud moment for him if he were alive today. Not all black Oscar winners have won for slaves, maids and criminals roles. In fact most haven’t. Halle, Whoopi, Jamie & Cuba come to mind. Slavery was real, black maids were real. Why can’t their stories be told?
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I haven’t watched the movie and probably won’t the closest I have gotten to a slavery movie is the color purple. I never watched roots to my knowledge. I personally don’t think a black positive movie will ever get shine because us black people have issues meaning even if the movie is positive we will find anything to pick it apart from wardrobe, hair or why the actors in the movie is gay with an on break baby with no self esteem. Until we can start seeing the positive in things we will forever not see a positive movie. Case in point people were saying we need to start seeing more black people in movies along came Tyler perry and all that was said was he cooning, why I got to see this person in a movie, and why this why that.
I’m like read EVERYTHING before you cosign..
To your comment 
I missed you
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It’s about time Nashville got some inclement weather so I didn’t have to go to work today.
I don’t see the problem with slave or maid movies, my issue is the lack of development for our characters and plots that represent more diversity. I think we should all know the history of this country which in includes slavery and it should not be reserved for Black history month.
Every black person is not the same and therefore won’t enjoy the same movies. White people could literally say they don’t want to see any movies that don’t have a predominantly white cast and still get to see every possible genre imaginable. Until we have that kind of choice in film and tv I’ll feel the same way. We are limited in our choices for entertainment.
Congrats to Steve McQueen and Lupita
And I’ve been a fan of Chiwetel Ejiofor for years (actually, since I first saw him one of my favorite Woody Allen movies)
Yo I’m tired of this snow Yo
VA aint never got this much snow in a year 
I just find it ironic that we have so much animosity towards slavery movies. Period. When they weren’t made by us the complaint was they need to be told by those who experienced it. There are countless movies on the Holocaust and you don’t hear Jews complaining. In fact they appreciate their stories being told because there are many who would just as soon rid history of any mention of it. The same with slavery. I am proud of my history and even prouder of my ancestors. The more I know about them the better. Lord knows the accounts of their stories are few. Most of us can’t even trace our heritage. How many people even knew the story of Solomon Northrup before this movie? I’ll wait….
@Man: That email keeps saying not deliverable because jcstanb does not have a
account. Now it’s the principle of the matter that won’t let me stop until I figure this out. Email me at takencell @ 
if what I put is right as your email. Maybe it’s me. I am going to figure this out today 
I don’t even care about getting the link anymore 
I just find it ironic that we have so much animosity towards slavery movies
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I know you are not speaking for everyone so I won’t answer for everyone either. I have no animosity I would just like diversity. A mixture of movies including all of our history, culture and present day lives
Thanks MisTaken for saying what I meant in far fewer words! My brain is not fully functional yet.
WalkingKontradiction says:
I am proud of my history and even prouder of my ancestors.
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Yasss!
Thank you! I ain’t shamed of nary one of em. It’s because of them that we are at the point where we can turn our nose up at their struggle and consider it a source of shame. Haven’t we come so far?
To obtain diversity we have to support the movies that do get released. We are not the only ones that struggle with getting a range of our stories out. Cate Blanchett all but said in her acceptance speech Hollywood still has archaic thoughts that a movie with a woman as the lead won’t sell. Imagine what they think about all black cast movies? I remember the shock from critics when the Best Man Holiday did so well it almost beat Thor. If we support, more films will get greenlighted.
Bird I can’t speak for anyone else but I am not ashamed of our history. My problem is that we barely exist as a blip on the radar if not for these types of movies. Can’t we have more choice? I saw 12 yrs, The Butler, Fruitvale Station and several other movies in the theater so I support our films. I’d just like more diversity. Hell we did better in the early 2000s with Love & Bball and Brown Sugar which showcased every day Black people living their lives. I was psyched to see the Best Man sequel tackle real issues. I’d just like it to be a more diverse offering.
53.I just find it ironic that we have so much animosity towards slavery movies
For me the animosity is not behind the theme of a Slave picture, but the motives behind them being Green lighted into production. Also the reasons behind their success. I love my history. However, I feel many love reliving my history. There’s a difference. Im reminded of the hard times. They’re reminded of the good ol days, that’s my problem. Im crying while I watch. They’re laughing. Go take a look at Huffington Post twitter account. They let Chelsea Handler guest tweet throughout the Oscars. “go to Africa” “purchase my book Uganda be crazy” That’s my problem.
Another solution, encourage your children in the arts. Writing, graphics, etc. Support your local Black film festivals and get word of mouth out about your fave movies yo saw there to get wider distribution in theaters. Most major cities have them.
@WalkingKontradiction
I was just about to mention Jews and the holocaust. They always say “never forget” so they will continue to use every available venue to tell their story. In my opinion, there is potentially more harm in NOT addressing slavery, discrimination, etc. There has already been serious discussion about removing “slavery” from textbooks in schools and referring to the enslaved as “unpaid interns”
Some of us may not embrace that part of our history, but it is another thing altogether to allow them to erase it.
You are preaching to the choir. I was a creative writing major at a performing arts school, hence my frustration. There ARE good scripts out there, just not the market to produce them. Some people go the independent route but others are not as lucky and their screenplays collect dust. It takes networking and dollars to make movies and many don’t see our stories as good investments. I agree about Best Man Holiday. Critics called it a races themes movie because they couldn’t understand why so many people came out to support. It was a family/friendship movie, but couldn’t get that respect from critics.
@Man: That email keeps saying not deliverable because jcstanb does not have a account. Now it’s the principle of the matter that won’t let me stop until I figure this out. Email me at takencell @ if what I put is right as your email. Maybe it’s me. I am going to figure this out today I don’t even care about getting the link anymore
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And this right here is why I cant quit you no matter how hard I try.
@MystyBlu don’t give up! There are some of us out here who will support. I have friends in the industry, white and black and I’m always discussing what a movie-goer like myself can do. These days they promote crowd-funding when the big-wigs refuse to support. It gets the word out, raises money & may catch the attention of those who initially turned your script down.
Walking Thank you! I don’t write scripts but I have former classmates and friends who do. Most have moved on to other careers because it just wasn’t there for them to get films made. I have artists friends as well that tattoo because they can’t get work shown in galleries or sell much outside if family and friends. The same with musicians/singers. We are an extremely creative group of people yet we lack representation in the arts in a meaningful way. That’s all I’m saying. Has nothing to do with shame over slavery or not supporting current Black movies. I’d just like to see more of our stories told.
I think we can all agree that Steve McQueen is a brilliant artist and should be duly acknowledged– irrespective of whether we agree about the roles played by black actors. His films show he is dedicated to the art of excellence.
Just my two cents….I enjoy watching movies that discuss slavery b/c pretty soon it won’t be any mention of it in the history books, so this will let the future generations see how far we have come as a people. But I would love to see more movies about who we were before slavery. The kings and queens in Egypt and Africa. And I also would like to see maybe a black bible story, instead of a white feminine Jesus all the time.
And why have Black movie makers struggled to maintain mainstream popularity while others enjoy longevity and are held in high esteem by the film making community? Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen, Spielberg are all capable of filling theatres well into their ‘declining’ years, but where are the box office successes for Spike Lee, John Singleton, Robert Townsend, Antwan Fuqua et al.?
Oh yeah where’s my manners, hello everyone.
@FASHION ADDICT
“But I would love to see more movies about who we were before slavery. The kings and queens in Egypt and Africa. And I also would like to see maybe a black bible story, instead of a white feminine Jesus all the time.”
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Yup. Of course if they did a film about Egyptians, they would get yts to play in it. SMH.
MystyBlu says:
There ARE good scripts out there, just not the market to produce them.
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That’s not true. There is a market for those scripts. The problem is we look to other established markets to validate us and our ideas. If Tyler Perry had that mentality he would not be the force that he is in the film industry today. Look at rappers. They took a totally new genre of music — gangsta rap — and created their own market for it.
@Man
Yup. Of course if they did a film about Egyptians, they would get yts to play in it. SMH.
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The sad part about it is that you are so right.
Just Looking says:
Yes, this is great We Still Slaves won!
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Hi Sandra. By market to produce I mean money. There are plenty of Tyler Perrys out there that haven’t had the same fortune he has. Some with better material. I definitely believe people will show out for black movies, BMH and even Think Like a Man prove that. We just have to get them made.
We have too many successful Black artists not to own any distribution companies. They make others wealthy while they just stay rich and many more don’t have opportunities. It’s a systems issue that needs to be changed so Black movies are seen as investments.
That’s not true. There is a market for those scripts.
I disagree. Market may be the wrong word. Hollywood is afraid to put money behind those scripts. They want a return. Not necessarily revenue, I sweep at the Oscars translates into success. So although there may be an AUDIENCE, those scripts will never be produced. The blame falls on both ends. We want those films, but find reasons to not support those films. Oh I have to support it because Im Black? I’m not giving all that money to those theaters! There is always an excuse. We complain, but dont show. We sign petitions, but skip the rally
Did we say
?
White folks brought the most tickets to see these “MASTA” FILMS.
Just like white kids are buying the crappy “Black” music that is being passed off as R&B and Rap music.
Remember Black folks make up less than 12% of the population. But capitalism makes sure we stay poor, enslaved and self-haters through the racist propaganda promoted through the performing arts, television, music and films.
Was Lupita’s Oscar gown made by a Black American or African? Blank stare. Enough said.
And let’s see the leading roles that she will receive after winning an Oscar. Hmmm, where is Monique?
“I get it. I know some of us are bothered that a Black woman won an Oscar for playing a slave. But just for ONE second, I want us to celebrate this moment with the purest motives and joy. I want us to be able to lay these burdens down even for a hot millisecond because we carry this complex so close to the chest that it gives me heartburn.
Let us keep telling our stories from “12 Years a Slave” to “Best Man Holiday.” We need both and for now, if this award is for Patsey, maybe the next will be for Shelby. But for a moment, revel in this win.” -Luvvie
JerseyGirl, Monique had a stank attitude and the opposite of the Gabrey Sidbe continues too find work, not just any work work in very maintstream things, Lupita, will be around for a long while because they can market her, you think those dresses were in her closet
Have yall seen slave pron its an epidemic.