HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 24: Ruth E. Carter, winner of Best Costume Design for 'Black Panther,' poses in the press room during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Ruth E. Carter became the first black woman to win an Oscar for costume design on Sunday night. The Springfield native was honored for her work on "Black Panther," Marvel's latest superhero film set in the fictional African country of Wakanda.
Hannah Beachler also made history as the first black woman to take home the award for production design for her work on "Black Panther." .
Black women haven't won an Oscar in a nonacting category since Irene Cara's 1984 win for best original song, but that changed Sunday night when both Beachler and Carter took home the top prizes for their work on the blockbuster.
Carter, who has been nominated twice before for her work on "Amistad" (1997) and "Malcolm X" (1992), said the win was a "long time coming."
“Marvel may have created the first black superhero, but through costume design, we turned him into an African king,” Carter said during her acceptance speech. “It’s been my life’s honor to create costumes. Thank you to the academy. Thank you for honoring African royalty and the empowered way women can look and lead onscreen.”
The costume designer went on to thank her mother, saying, “this is for my 97-year-old mother watching in Massachusetts."