The 91st Academy Awards made Hollywood history and not just because they opted to proceed without a host following the Kevin Hart controversy. Mahershala Ali became the first black actor to win two awards for Best Supporting Actor (Green Book), Regina King won her first award for Best Supporting Actress (If Beale Street Could Talk), Ruth E. Carter became the first black woman to take home a win for Best Costume Design (Black Panther), and Hannah Beachler was the first black person to win Best Production Design (Black Panther).
As all of these artists were celebrated, one of the most talked about wins of the evening came from Spike Lee who finally took home his first Oscar win for BlacKkKlansman, an award many believed was long overdue. Samuel L. Jackson, an actor who featured in many of Lee's early films, announced his friend and Morehouse brother's win. Lee leaped into Jackson's arms before reading a pre-written speech that highlighted the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the importance for everyone to rock the vote in the next presidential election.
“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner,” Lee said. “Let’s all mobilize. Let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate.”
Trump wasn't mentioned in the speech by name, but that didn't stop him from taking offense. The President took to Twitter to attack the director in the early morning hours following the award ceremony. "Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!"
Surprisingly, this was Trump's only response to the Oscars. He didn't even mention actress Maya Rudolph's jab during the opening skit when she said, "There’s no host, there won’t be a popular movie category, and Mexico is not paying for the wall."
