First Black Actress to Win an Oscar: 'I Sincerely Hope I Shall Always Be a Credit to My Race'

Hattie McDaniel made history 76 years ago Monday when she became the first black actress to win an Academy Award.

The late trailblazing cinema star, who took home an Oscar for her performance as the tough Mammy in Gone With the Wind, wiped away tears as she accepted the prize for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in 1940. “This is one of the happiest moments of my life, and I want to thank each one of you who had a part in selecting me for one of the awards for your kindness,” she said.

Get our Health Newsletter. Sign up to receive the latest health and science news, plus answers to wellness questions and expert tips.

Please enter a valid email address.

* The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again.

Sign Up Now

An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later.

Check here if you would like to receive subscription offers and other promotions via email from TIME group companies.

You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

“It has made me feel very, very humble, and I shall always hold it as a beacon for anything that I may be able to do in the future,” she added. “I sincerely hope I shall always be a credit to my race and to the motion picture industry. My heart is too full to tell you just how I feel.”

McDaniel—who had to sit at a table in the back of the ceremony, according to The Associated Press—became emotional as she left the stage. The daughter of two former slaves, she died from breast cancer in 1952 at the age of 57, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Contact us at letters@time.com.