Oscar Protests Planned Over Lack Of Diversity In Film Industry

The Rev. Al Sharpton announced demonstrations in Los Angeles, New York, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, and Cleveland.

Following the lead of celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee, a number of rallies will take place Sunday to protest the lack of diversity at the Academy Awards.

Last month, celebrities called out the Academy for not nominating a single person of color in any of the main acting categories.

The backlash has continued to build, with the Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday announcing that he will hold a demonstration near the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles calling for change in the film industry.

"The demonstrations are responding to the failure of the Academy Awards to recognize actors of color in the leading categories for the second straight year," according to a statement from the National Action Network.

The group is also organizing rallies in New York, Washington, D.C., Detroit, Atlanta, and Cleveland in support of a nationwide tune-out of the awards ceremony.

And in Harlem, business owners are hosting an Oscars boycott party Sunday during which trailers from films like Concussion, Creed, and Straight Outta Compton will be shown throughout, according to DNAinfo.

This is the second year in a row that the nomination announcement was met with immediate backlash on Twitter. Using the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite, people argued the Academy snubbed actors Will Smith for Concussion, and Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation.

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