What do you call an African-American actress deserving of an Academy Award? Mammie. The truth is African-Americans are being awarded in Hollywood in roles that don’t depict blacks as respectable people. During a Q&A at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, star of the film Selma, David Oyelowo, made a valid point.

“Generally speaking, we as black people have been celebrated more for when we are subservient when we are not being leaders or kings or being in the center of our own narrative, driving it forward,” he said.

African-American actors in film and television are only celebrated when in roles that support black stereotypes. Taraji P. Henson won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series for her role as Cookie Lyon in Fox hit series Empire. Although pleased with winning the award, Henson was noticeably bothered by the type of character she had to portray in order to win.

“Who knew that playing an ex-convict would take me all around the globe?” she said, then she went on to list other characters she played that she thought would have gained her the prestigious award. Like Queenie from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or her character from The Karate Kid. “It’s Cookie who spent 17 years in jail for selling crack. Okay.”

The last African-American to win an Academy Award was Lupita Nyong’o for her performance as a slave in 2014. Hattie McDaniel became the first African-American to win an Oscar in 1940 also for playing a slave- not much has changed in 75 years.

A change in the depiction of African-Americans in mainstream cinema starts behind the scene. " I think it is important to support more black writers and directors in the industry. Too often do we have non-black writers creating black roles, which is leading to stereotypical perspectives.” Said Simone Curry, a Senior Theater student at Florida A&M University.

Some would argue that black actors do not need to sit at the academy's table. We can create our own table and validate ourselves.

Jessica Allen, Sophomore Theatre with a minor in English and concentration in writing, at Florida A&M University gave her opinion on black actors not looking for Hollywood to praise them for their talents. " A lot of people think if they’re not validated by Hollywood or if they don’t go to New York or California they haven’t made it.” She adds “My concern would be just getting my craft out there. Not some big award.”

During an exclusive screening of WGN America’s highly anticipated new series Underground– The story of a group of slaves who join together to escape to freedom -, I thought to myself, not another slave narrative. Many people in attendance felt the same way. After the screening, students directed questions to cast member Theodus Crane who plays a threatening slave named Zeek.

“Slavery is not the subject of it [Underground]”, he told the Audience. “It’s about these people, they are depicted as heroes. It’s less about oppression. It’s about getting the hells out and how we’re going to do it.”

When White actors are depicted as heroes they usually wear a cape on their backs. Not lashes from being whipped by “Massa.” African-American people are more than the stereotypes projected on to them. And black actors should be awarded for roles that show who we in our entirety.