2022

Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by the Senate as an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, becoming the first Black woman ever to serve on the nation's highest court. Her confirmation was a landmark moment in American legal and political history.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman and first public defender in the Court's history. Her confirmation hearing drew massive viewership and her composed responses to hostile questioning became widely shared.

Ariana DeBose won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in 'West Side Story,' becoming the first Afro-Latina and the first openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar. Her victory speech, in which she named her intersecting identities, was widely celebrated as a historic moment of representation.

Will Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams, in 'King Richard.' The win was overshadowed by Smith slapping presenter Chris Rock on stage, creating one of the most discussed moments in Oscar history.

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins launched to the International Space Station on Crew-4, spending approximately six months aboard as a mission specialist. She became the first Black woman to serve on a long-duration space mission, conducting scientific research and spacewalk preparations.

Beyoncé released 'Renaissance,' a genre-defining act one album centering Black queer dance music, ballroom culture, and house. The album was a critical phenomenon, debuting at number one globally, and was widely recognized as a tribute to the Black and LGBTQ+ foundations of electronic dance music.

Beyoncé released 'Renaissance,' a dance and house album that explicitly honored the Black and LGBTQ+ origins of club music, dedicating the album to her late uncle Johnny and the broader ballroom and house communities. The album debuted at number one and was widely praised as a landmark reclamation of Black music history.

After announcing in Vogue that she was 'evolving away' from tennis, Serena Williams played her final professional match at the 2022 US Open in a third-round loss, retiring as the owner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. Her career farewell was a global media event celebrating the greatest female tennis player of all time.

Zendaya won her second Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for 'Euphoria' Season 2, becoming the youngest two-time Emmy winner in the category's history at age 26. The show's second season was a cultural event and her performance its emotional anchor.

Viola Davis starred as General Nanisca in 'The Woman King,' a historical epic about the Agojie, the all-female warriors who protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey. The film was a rare major-budget Hollywood production centered on Black women warriors and became a box office success.

Karen Bass, a former U.S. Representative and chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, was elected Mayor of Los Angeles, becoming the first Black woman and second Black person to lead the nation's second-largest city. Her election came amid a crisis of homelessness and housing affordability.

Marvel's 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' was released, honoring the late Chadwick Boseman by weaving his T'Challa's passing into the narrative. The film introduced Riri Williams and Namor, grossed over $850 million worldwide, and featured Angela Bassett receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

SZA released 'SOS,' which spent ten consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 — the longest run for any album by a Black woman in the chart's history. The album's commercial dominance and emotional depth across R&B, pop, and alternative genres made it one of the defining records of the decade.

SZA released 'SOS,' which spent weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and became the longest-charting album by any woman in the chart's history at that time, surpassing records held by Adele and others. The album's genre-blending success — spanning R&B, pop, and alternative — demonstrated the expansive commercial and artistic reach of Black women in contemporary music.

Donald Glover's surrealist comedy-drama 'Atlanta' returned for its third and fourth seasons after a four-year hiatus, to widespread critical acclaim. Season three's European arc was widely considered the show's most ambitious work, and its finale was hailed as one of television's great series endings.

Lizzo released 'About Damn Time,' a jubilant funk-pop anthem that became a worldwide hit and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 2023 ceremony. The win was celebrated as a victory for body positivity and unapologetic Black joy in mainstream pop.

Jermell Charlo stopped Brian Castaño in their rematch to collect all four major belts at 154 pounds — WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO — becoming the undisputed super welterweight champion of the world. He became one of only a handful of boxers to hold all four major titles simultaneously in the modern era.

Jordan Peele's third feature film 'Nope' starred Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer and explored spectacle, exploitation, and Black cowboys. The film opened to number one at the box office and confirmed Peele's status as a singular auteur, with each of his first three films opening atop the domestic charts.

Little Simz won the prestigious Mercury Prize for her album 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert,' beating major acts including Wet Leg and Self Esteem. The win elevated one of Black British music's most important voices to mainstream recognition and confirmed the UK rap scene's artistic vitality.

Chinonye Chukwu directed 'Till,' starring Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley in the story of her fight for justice after the murder of her 14-year-old son Emmett Till in 1955. Deadwyler's performance was widely considered one of the year's best, though she was controversially overlooked for an Oscar nomination.

Reverend Raphael Warnock defeated Republican Herschel Walker in a Georgia Senate runoff, winning his first full six-year Senate term. The victory confirmed the durability of Georgia's new political landscape and Warnock's historic status as the state's first elected Black senator.

Issa Rae executive produced 'Rap Sh!t' for HBO Max, a comedy-drama following two estranged Miami friends attempting to revive their rap careers. The show was praised for its authentic depiction of the current music industry, social media hustle, and Black Southern female friendship.

Atlanta rapper Latto (formerly known as Mulatto) earned her first Grammy nomination for Best Melodic Rap Performance for 'Big Energy,' crossing over to mainstream pop after years building her rap credibility. Her rise was part of a broader moment for Black women from the South in rap.