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From the ‘Martin’ Reunion to Historic Wins, Here Are the Best and Blackest Moments of the 2024 Emmy Awards Ceremony

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Honoring the excellence of Black influence in television seemed to be the theme of the evening at the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, as some of the culture’s favorite on-screen talent were named big winners at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Monday night.

The ceremony proved to be especially monumental for Black actresses who made history by bringing home the gold, as well as the team that pulled off the feat of producing a scandal-free night of celebration.

Hollywood’s go-to producer, Jesse Collins — whose production company, Jesse Collins Entertainment, has put together the Grammy Awards, Golden Globes, BET Awards, the 2022 Emmy Award-winning Super Bowl halftime show, and more — added another line to his long list of accomplishments by leading the first Black team of executive producers to helm the awards show.

(L-R) Executive producers Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and host Anthony Anderson at the 75th Primetime Emmys.
(L-R) Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, and Anthony Anderson attend the 75th Primetime Emmys exclusive press preview at JW Marriott LA Live on January 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

Adding to the “Emmys so Black” narratives shared by fans on social media was the fact that “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson was tapped as the host of the show on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Below, let’s get into some of the other memorable moments of the evening that will forever cement the 2023 Emmys as an unmatched moment of Black talent receiving their flowers.

The Cast of “Martin” Reunites

Viewers were treated to a nostalgic moment when the cast of “Martin,” stars Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, and Carl Anthony Payne II, returned to that iconic ’90s Detroit apartment set to present the nominees for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The reunion marked the second time the entire cast, sans the late Tommy Ford, gathered in front of cameras since their days of filming the sitcom from 1992 to 1997.

In 2022, the comedian and his crew wisecracking peers on a reunion special for BET+. Their Emmys appearance also made light of the fact that the series never won a statuette at the ceremony while still in production.

Emmys Coincided With Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Emmys were initially expected to be held in September but dual strikes between the actors and writers caused the show to be pushed back four months. As a result, Hollywood luminaries gathered on MLK Day. To some viewers, the fact that several of the awards went to Black entertainers on a day intended to honor the legacy of a civil rights icon made it feel as though Black excellence being written into the history books on that night was some act of destiny.

Quinta Brunson’s Win Highlights the Emmys’ History of Overlooking Black Talent in Comedy

“Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson made history when she became the second Black actress to win Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Despite Black women having a presence in comedy throughout the years, “The Jeffersons” star Isabel Sanford, who played Louise Jefferson, was the first to win the award in 1981. At last year’s award ceremony, Brunson became the first Black woman to score writing and acting nominations in the same year for the genre.

Black Women Set the Tone With Wins

Quinta Brunson, “The Bear” standout Ayo Edibiri, and Niecy Nash-Betts were part of an unprecedented trio of wins. Brunson and Edibiri took home the first two awards, for outstanding lead actress and outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, respectively.

Edibiri, like the “Abbott Elementary” creator, joined a short list of trailblazers, becoming the third Black woman to win in her category. Brunson’s co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph won in 2022 and before her, Jackée Harry was the last to be recognized for her work on “227” in 1987.

Nash, who is widely recognized for her comedic work, was awarded her role in the dramatic Netflix series “Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” securing her first Emmy win for supporting actress in a limited series. The trio of victories marked the first time Black women have taken home the gold in each of the categories on the same night.

Trevor Noah Makes History With His Win

A year after exiting “The Daily Show,” Trevor Noah achieved a career milestone when he, along with several others, accepted the statuette for Outstanding Talk Series. While hosting the long-running show, Noah was nominated 17 times. He joked that the victory was a byproduct of “Last Week with John Oliver” being moved to a different category, ending Oliver’s winning streak that began in 2016.

RuPaul Steamrolls Competition, Making the Entertainer the Most Awarded Emmy Winner

RuPaul has now won a total of 29 Emmys after securing two more victories during the 75th Emmy Awards. The entertainer extraordinaire’s show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” won in the Outstanding Reality Competition Program category, its first after back-to-back victories between 2018 to 2021. Lizzo beat out the fan-favorite program last year with her reality series “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.”

Anthony Anderson’s Mother Made Sure Winners Kept Their Speeches Short

Anderson’s mom, Doris Bowman, showed up and did her job as she made sure the evening went smoothly and ended promptly on time. For one of television’s biggest nights, she acted as the “Emmy’s play-off mom” as she rose from her seat ushering folks to get off the stage after their acceptance speeches. Bowman at one point held up a drawing of a clock and a red X, letting Jennifer Coolidge know it was time to exit the stage following her acceptance speech after she won best actress in a drama series for “The White Lotus.” She also held another colorful sign that read, “Wrap it up now. Love, mama.”

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