"It's Black history, it's American history": Stylists give stirring Oscars speech after historic win
Los Angeles, California - "One day it will be normal": that was Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom stylist Mia Neal's message to Black trans women and other women of color of color at the 93rd Academy Awards.
The hair department head and Viola Davis' personal hair stylist Jamika Wilson became the first Black women to win the top award for hair and make-up.
The history-making pair was joined by Davis' make-up artist Sergio Lopez-Rivera.
"I stand here, as Jamika and I break this glass ceiling, with so much excitement for the future," she told the small crowd in front of her and the millions who tuned in virtually.
"Because I can picture Black trans women standing up here, and Asian sisters, and our Latina sisters and Indigenous women. And I know that one day it won’t be unusual or groundbreaking – it will just be normal."
The much-praised Netflix movie follows a day in the life of bisexual blues singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) in Chicago during a time of widespread segregation and racial oppression in the US.
For the film, Neal created over 100 wigs in less than three weeks, which were then fitted by Wilson.
"It is history, it is Black history, it is American history"
In her acceptance speech, Neal underlined the struggles of her grandfather and how they brought her to the Oscar stage Sunday night.
"I was raised by my grandfather James Holland," she said. "He was an original Tuskegee Airmen, he represented the US in the first Pan Am games, he went to Argentina (...) he graduated from Northwestern University at a time that they did not allow Blacks to stay on campus, so he stayed at the YMCA."
"And after all of his accomplishments, he went back to his hometown in hopes of becoming a teacher. But they did not hire Blacks in the school system," she added.
"So I wanted to say thank you to our ancestors who put the work in, were denied, but never gave up."
Neal said she always felt a "strong connection" to her ancestors, and felt the same way about bringing Ma to life on screen. "I never feel what I’m doing in the world is me, I always feel like I am covered and protected by them," she told Variety backstage.
"This [film] was right in line with everything that I love. It is history, it is Black history, it is American history," she said.
Cover photo: IMAGO / Cinema Publishers Collection