Who was the first black American woman to win an Academy Award in 2002?

The first Black American woman to win an Academy Award was Hattie McDaniel, who won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind in 1940.

It's important to note that while Halle Berry was the first Black woman to win Best Actress in 2002, she was not the first Black American woman to win an Academy Award.