Spike Lee's Acceptance Speech (Transcript) — Oscar for Adapted Screenplay 2019

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Transcript

Presenter: AND THE OSCAR GOES TO.

Presenter: Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz. and Kevin Willmott.

Voiceover: This is the first Oscar and nomination for Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz and Kevin Wilmott. It's the first win, fifth nomination for Spike Lee.

Spike Lee (SL): All right. All right.

SL: I want to thank Tonya, Jack and Satchel. The word today is irony. The date the 24th of the month

SL: February, was also happens to be the shortest month of the year. Which also happens to be Black History Month, the year 2019, the year 1619. History, her story. 1619. 2019. 400 years. 400 years, our ancestors were stolen from Mother Africa and brought to Jamestown Virginia enslaved. Our asses worked from the land from can't see the morning to can't see at night. My grandmother, Zimmie Shelton Reatha, who lived a hundred years of young who was a Spelman College graduate, even though her mother was a slave.

SL: My grandma who saved 50 years of Social Security checks to put her first grandchild, she call me spikey poo. She put me through Morehouse College and NYU Grad Film. NYU. Before the world tonight, I give praise to our ancestors who built this country and was today, along with the genocide of his native people. We all connect with our ancestors, we will have love, wisdom, regaining, we will regain our humanity. It will be a powerful moment. The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let's all mobilize. Let's all be on the right side of history. Make the roÔøΩ make the moral choice between love versus hate.

SL: Let's do the right thing. You know I had to get that in there.