Memorable Oscar Moments

Cuba Gooding Jr. won an Oscar for best supporting actor for his role in Jerry Maguire.  His emotional speech began with a warning that he didn't mind if he was cut off by the music, but then the actor continued speaking and thanking his friends and colleagues long after the music started playing, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd for his enthusiasm.

Halle Berry won an Oscar for best actress for her role in Monster's Ball at the 74th Annual Academy Awards. The stunned actress cried on stage while her partner Eric Benet stood to applaud. "This moment is so much bigger than me," she said. "This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll...It's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight has been opened."

Denzel Washington won an Oscar for best actor at the same awards show.  His friend and colleague Julia Roberts presented the award to him.  Washington, who won the award for his performance in Training Day, beat out fellow African American actor Will Smith.  He previously won a best supporting actor Oscar in 1989 for his role in the film Glory.

It was particularly historic for Washington that year.  He had just presented an Oscar to Sidney Poitier.  "Forty years I've been chasing Sidney, they finally give it to me, and what do they do, they give it to him the same night," Washington said.  "I'll always be chasing you Sidney. I'll always be following in your footsteps," Washington called out to his mentor.

Other black Oscar winners include Jamie Foxx for Ray (2004), Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland (2006), Louis Gossett, Jr. for An Officer And A Gentleman (1982), Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby (2004), Whoopi Goldberg for Ghost (1990), Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006), and Hattie McDaniel for Gone With The Wind (1939), among others.

Goldberg also served as a host of the Oscars several times starting in 1994, the first African-American woman to do so.  This year's show is hosted by Comedy Central's Jon Stewart, and only one African American actor, Ruby Dee for American Gangster, is nominated for an award.