Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Here’s why people are tweeting #OscarsSoWhite

David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo.
David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo.
David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo.
(Paramount Pictures)

When the Oscar nominations were announced earlier this morning, many were surprised that Selma, the Martin Luther King, Jr. docudrama, only earned two nominations: Best Picture and Best Original Song.

But even with its Picture nom, many people thought the film was snubbed.

Vox’s Todd VanDerWerff offered an explanation for the snub, noting that “the average Oscar voter is a 63-year-old white man.” Sure, as VanDerWerff noted, Selma’s late release date might have worked against it. But regardless of how the film was rolled out, many people are blaming Hollywood’s well-documented lack of diversity for the fact that neither Selma’s director, Ava DuVernay, nor its leading man, David Oyelowo, earned a much-deserved nomination.

But the worst thing about that was that it essentially took all people of color out of contention in the acting categories. David Oyelowo didn’t receive a nomination, meaning that the Oscars’ roster looked awfully, awfully white.

All of that led to a Twitter hashtag: #OscarsSoWhite.

Here are some of the best tweets.

See More:

More in Culture

Advice
What trainers actually think about the 12-3-30 workoutWhat trainers actually think about the 12-3-30 workout
Advice

Have we finally unlocked exercise’s biggest secret? Or is this yet another lie perpetrated Big Treadmill?

By Alex Abad-Santos
Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
How fan fiction went mainstreamHow fan fiction went mainstream
Podcast
Podcasts

The community that underpins Heated Rivalry, explained.

By Danielle Hewitt and Noel King
Culture
Why Easter never became a big secular holiday like ChristmasWhy Easter never became a big secular holiday like Christmas
Culture

Hint: The Puritans were involved.

By Tara Isabella Burton
Culture
The sticky, sugary history of PeepsThe sticky, sugary history of Peeps
Culture

A few things you might not know about Easter’s favorite candy.

By Tanya Pai
The Highlight
The return of resistance craftingThe return of resistance crafting
The Highlight

Want to fight fascism? Join a knitting circle.

By Anna North