Parle Mag
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Diddy Trial
  • Lifestyle
  • Interviews
  • Contact Us
  • Team Parlé
  • Podcast
  • Advertising
Facebook 0 Likes
Twitter 0 Followers
Instagram 0 Followers
Pinterest 0 Followers
LinkedIn 0
Reddit 0 Subscribers
TikTok 0
0
0
0
0
0
Parle Mag
Subscribe
Parle Mag
  • Home
  • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Celebrity
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Sports
    • Television News
  • Diddy Trial
  • Lifestyle
    • Beauty
    • Business
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Op-Ed
    • Politics
    • Relationships
    • Travel
  • Interviews
Featured Categories
black countries
About Parlé
4 Posts
View Posts
Taye Diggs reads a book in an episode of private practice.
About Parle Magazine
4 Posts
View Posts
About the Editor
3 Posts
View Posts
Ad Test
1 Posts
View Posts
Posts
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag 1
    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
    • October 1, 2025
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement 2
    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
    • September 29, 2025
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed 3
    Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
    • September 29, 2025
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag

    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty

    • October 1, 2025
    View Post
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

    • September 29, 2025
    View Post
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed

    Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed

    • September 29, 2025
    View Post
  • Lifestyle

Black Entertainers Who Have Reached EGOT Status Over The Years

  • February 27, 2025
  • Jay Jerome
John Legend and other Black EGOT Winners
Total
0
Shares
0
0
1

The term EGOT represents the four major performing arts awards in North America.  Those who have reached EGOT status would have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Only a select few people have achieved this status since actor Philip Michael Thomas popularized the phrase. This led to the first winner in 1962, Richard Roger who was a composer and lyricist. After this achievement, 26 other people would achieve the same status as of 2025 with 6 of those being noncompetitive awards (honorary awards).  Whoopi Goldberg became the first minority to achieve EGOT status, but she has since been followed by a number of others.  Here’s a list of Black EGOT winners over the years.

Helen Hayes, Rita Moreno, and John Gielgud in later years went on to win the competitive award. The process of achieving the status usually took years due to the rarity of the awards. In the coming years, many other names would achieve competitive status such as Audrey Hepburn, Marvin Hamlisch, Jonathan Tunick, Mel Brooks, and Mick Nicholas, Scott Rudin, Robert Lopez, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Alan Manek,  Elton John, Benji Pasek, and Justin Paul are other members of the elite club.

In the noncompetitive category are names such as Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, and Frank Marshall. This shows how rare EGOT status really is, and only the most talented and well-connected of household names can achieve said status.

Advertisement

These Black Entertainers Have EGOT Status

Whoopi Goldberg 

Whoopi Goldberg went on to become the first minority to acquire EGOT status. Born in Manhattan project housing, Whoopi had a passion for acting from an early age, beginning to perform at the early age of 8. By 1974 Whoopi had moved to California becoming an active member of the theater community.  Eventually, Whoopi stumbled on the idea to create a spook show, that was known for humor, satire and drama, being played in the U.S. and Europe the show set the foundation for the Broadway show Goldberg would debut in 1984.

John Legend

Born in Springfield, Ohio, John Legend into a musical family, John quickly developed skills in music. In the early 2000s, Legend broke out as an American singer-songwriter and pianist. With his fusion of R&B and soul music, he became the first African American man to win all four awards to achieve EGOT status. 

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson was born in the early 80s in Chicago, Illinois. Hudson was raised in a single mother household beginning to sing in her church choir at the age of 7. In 2004 Jenifer went on a television show called “American Idol” gaining an abundance of attention. With this newfound attention, Hudson furthered her career in music and acting over the years that followed. By 2022 Jenifer Hudson had acclaimed the feat of winning all four major North American Awards.

Advertisement

Viola Davis 

Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in Saint Matthew, South Carolina. Raised in Central Falls, Rhodes Island, her parents worked hard jobs to survive and provide for the family.  As a child, Viola started acting with the dream that this could better her and her family’s life. Her mainstream breakthrough came as Dr. Annalise Keating in the Shonda Rhimes-produced hit series “How To Get Away With Murder.”  The role won her an Emmy. In 2023 Viola became the 18th person to achieve EGOT status after many accomplishments. 

James Earl Jones 

James Earl John was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi  in Jnauary 1931.  Although James’ father was an actor in his own right, his father abandoned James and the family at an early age. Later in his life, his mother gave him up to her parents to go live her life, so he was raised mostly by his grandparents. He developed a stutter swaying him to be quiet for much of his childhood until a teacher in secondary school convinced him to present a poem to the class. James would later attend the University of Michigan and then went to the military for a short period. After the army it seemed the young man knew what he wanted to do in New York City, studying at the American Theatre Wing with Lee Strasberg. James went on to achieve many accomplishments completing his EGOT in 2011.

Harry Belafonte 

Harry Belafonte, born on March 1, 1927, was an American singer, actor, producer, and activist. Born in Harlem, New York, a child to migrants from the Caribbean Islands of Martinique and Jamaica. After leaving the Navy, Harry decided to study drama at Erwin Piscator’s Dramatic Workshop. By the 1950s Belafonte was a key figure in the music scene and especially known for popularizing the Caribbean folk songs known as calypso and was also involved in many social causes, notably the Civil Rights Movement.  

Advertisement

His EGOT comes by way of an honorary Oscar Award in 2014, but it was well deserved.

Quincy Jones

Born on March 14, 1933, in Chicago, Quincy Jones was an American musical performer, producer, arranger, and composer. Quincy worked with many famous names in the music industry including Michel Jackson for whom he ;produced arguable the greatest album of all time in Thriller.  He was the executive producer for the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” and the musical composer for “The Cosby Show.”  He has 28 Grammy Awards, and on June 12, 2016, he achieved EGOT status with a Tony Award for “The Color Purple” adaptation.

 

Advertisement

Main Image Credit:  Paras Griffin / Stringer   |  Getty Images

Total
1
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 1
Related Topics
  • John Legend
  • Viola Davis
Jay Jerome

Previous Article
Rihanna Tops Pisces Celebrities List
  • Lifestyle

12 Pisces Celebrities Thriving In Artistic Spaces That You Should Know

  • February 27, 2025
  • Ayanna Kelley
View Post
Next Article
Most Expensive Music Videos of All Time
  • Lifestyle

The 5 Most Expensive Music Videos of All-Time

  • February 28, 2025
  • Obiorah Precious
View Post
You May Also Like
Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Home Page
  • Lifestyle
  • Shows

Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 29, 2025
The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships

The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 24, 2025
The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Home Page
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships

The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 23, 2025
Adipotide
View Post
  • Health
  • Lifestyle

Research Horizons of Adipotide (FTPP) Peptide in Metabolic and Oncological Domains

  • Team Parle
  • September 22, 2025
woman holding gold playing cards
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Op-Ed

Mystery Bounty Explained for Culture Readers

  • Team Parle
  • September 22, 2025
Stefon Diggs Personal Life
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships
  • Sports

Stefon Diggs’ Personal Life Revealed: Kids, Exes, and Baby Mamas

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 18, 2025
Statutes of Limitations for Injury Claims
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Op-Ed

What You Need to Know About Statutes of Limitations for Injury Claims

  • Team Parle
  • September 18, 2025
Keep Your Online Accounts Safe
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Op-Ed

The Simple Upgrade That Can Keep Your Online Accounts Safe

  • Team Parle
  • September 17, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts
  • d4vd connection to Los Angeles investigation
    Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
    • September 24, 2025
  • The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
    The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
    • September 24, 2025
  • The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram
    The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram
    • September 23, 2025
Categories
Entertainment News
5769 Posts
View Posts
Interviews
868 Posts
View Posts
Lifestyle
2767 Posts
View Posts
Featured Posts
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag 1
    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
    • October 1, 2025
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement 2
    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
    • September 29, 2025
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed 3
    Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
    • September 29, 2025
  • d4vd connection to Los Angeles investigation 4
    Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
    • September 24, 2025
  • The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners 5
    The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
    • September 24, 2025

RSS Parle Mag

  • [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
  • Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
  • The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
Parle Mag
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Team Parlé
  • Podcast
  • Advertising
  • Parle Endeavors
  • Parle New York
  • Privacy Policy
parlemag.com - The Voice of The Culture

Input your search keywords and press Enter.