10 black women have been nominated for best actress. All of the characters were poor.

Ahead of the Feb. 28 Oscars, black actors have spoken out against the Academy's selection of 20 white actors and actresses for 20 nomination spots. The New York Times took a look back at previous nominations for black actors, and they found some striking patterns.

Out of 10 nominations black women received for best actress, all 10 of the characters played were poor. In fact, nine were homeless or nearly homeless, from Dororthy Dandridge's 1954 nomination for Carmen Jones to to Quvenzhané Wallis' 2012 turn in Beasts of the Southern Wild. None of the characters had a college degree.

Black men, on the other hand, have been up for best actor nominations a total of 20 times (some actors multiple times), and their stereotypical character looks much different. Fifteen of the 20 performances involved characters showcasing violent or criminal behavior. Seven of the characters mistreat black women.

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Read the Times' enlightening breakdown here.