Louis Gossett Jr., trailblazing Black actor who won Oscar, Emmy awards, dead at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., who became the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar, for An Officer and a Gentleman, five years after earning an Emmy for his role in the seminal TV miniseries Roots, has died. He was 87.
![Louis Gossett Jr., trailblazing Black actor who won Oscar, Emmy awards, dead at 87](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7159529.1711720618!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/2015-critics-choice-television-awards-arrivals.jpg)
![Louis Gossett Jr. is shown at the Critics' Choice Television Awards on May 31, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. The critically acclaimed actor died on Thursday, his nephew said. A cleanhaven dark-complected man is shown in a closeup photo.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7159529.1711720618!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/2015-critics-choice-television-awards-arrivals.jpg)
Louis Gossett Jr., who became the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar, for An Officer and a Gentleman, five years after earning an Emmy for his role in the seminal TV miniseries Roots, has died. He was 87.