The 10 most notorious controversies in Oscar history

In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.” McDaniel’s Best Supporting Actress win not only makes Oscar history but also raises a few eyebrows in a nation still waist-deep in racial segregation. But the loudest controversy arising from McDaniel’s win doesn’t come from those opposing a breakdown of racial barriers, but rather from those who see Mammy, and subsequent roles McDaniel takes on, as perpetrating negative African American stereotypes. The McDaniel controversy mixes with irony when Hattie and other black “GWTW” cast and crew members are barred from attending the movie’s premiere. (Photo by John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive/Getty Images)