Dr. Jeremy Levitt, professor of International Law at the Center for International Law and Justice at Florida A&M University’s College of Law, has written and edited six books, including Black Women and International Law. In addition, Dr. Jeremy Levitt is CEO of the Levitt Group, LLC, and an expert in race politics.
The presence of race politics was at the epicenter of the recent controversy that surrounded this year’s Oscars ceremony, which regarded a lack of African-American nominees. In response to that lack, there may be a return next year of the Tree of Life Awards ceremony, which was originally conceived as a way to recognize African-American actors for their contributions in film.
Better known as the Black Oscars, the event was first held in 2002 in a Hollywood hotel the night before the Academy Awards. Awards were given in the same categories as were given by the Motion Picture Academy, including Best Actor. The tradition ended in 2007, possibly because of the increase in African-American nominations at the Academy Awards ceremony that same year. Now, after a spate of non-African-American nominations for the 2016 Oscars, the African-American film community is discussing the benefits of bringing the Black Oscars back.
The presence of race politics was at the epicenter of the recent controversy that surrounded this year’s Oscars ceremony, which regarded a lack of African-American nominees. In response to that lack, there may be a return next year of the Tree of Life Awards ceremony, which was originally conceived as a way to recognize African-American actors for their contributions in film.
Better known as the Black Oscars, the event was first held in 2002 in a Hollywood hotel the night before the Academy Awards. Awards were given in the same categories as were given by the Motion Picture Academy, including Best Actor. The tradition ended in 2007, possibly because of the increase in African-American nominations at the Academy Awards ceremony that same year. Now, after a spate of non-African-American nominations for the 2016 Oscars, the African-American film community is discussing the benefits of bringing the Black Oscars back.
