Movies Trivia: How many African American women have ever won the Academy Award for Best Actress?

African Americans have, unfortunately, reaped the rewards of American society later than their white counterparts; the Academy Awards are no exception.  The first African-American didn't win an Oscar until 1939 (Hattie McDowell for Best Supporting Actress in Gone With the Wind) and a limited amount of woman have ever won the Best Actress award - the subject of today's question.  Off of Pocket Trivia: Movies Trivia - How many African American women have ever won the Academy Award for Best Actress? 1, 4, 7 or 10?

The answer to this questions is one, just one.  Halle Berry won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her role in Monster Ball.  In an emotional acceptance speech, a tearful Berry said, ""This moment is so much bigger than me. This is for every nameless, faceless woman of colour who now has a chance tonight because this door has been opened."

Berry remains, so far, the only African American woman to ever win for Best Actress.