Halle Berry's Oscar: A Milestone & Ongoing Battle

It's March 24th.

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On March 24th, 2002, at the 74th Academy Awards, Halle Berry made history as the first

black woman to win Best Actress.

For her role in Monster's Ball, she portrayed a widow facing tough times and the win marked

a breakthrough after decades without a lead actress honor for any woman of color.

In her emotional speech, Berry paid tribute to pioneers like Dorothy Dandridge, Lena

Horn, and Diane Han Carroll.

She halted her victory with open opportunities for others in starring roles, building on

earlier supporting actress wins, such as Hattie McDaniel's in 1939.

Berry's career spans over 30 years with standout parts like the spy and die another day, storm

in the X-Men movies, and even six roles in Cloud.

Atlas.

She earned an Emmy and Golden Globe earlier for introducing Dorothy Dandridge, but faced

Flopps 2, including Catwoman for which she won, and gleefully accepted a Razzie award.

Two decades on, Berry calls the Oscar a shining moment mixed with disappointment.

Despite her expectations, no other black woman has won Best Actress since, and she's had

to fight for quality roles in the industry.

Her story highlights both progress and the work still ahead in Hollywood as Berry keeps

pushing boundaries with her versatile performances.