Scandal's Kerry Washington Is the First Black Actress Nominated for a Lead Emmy Since 1995 (And Here's Why She Should Win)

First, a bit of history: No black actress has been nominated for a Leading Actress in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy in 18 years. That's nearly two decades.

Preposterous, we know. The last black actress to get a nom was Cicely Tyson at the 47th annual Emmy Awards in 1995, when she was nominated for NBC's Sweet Justice.

Yeah, we're sure. Also, no black actress has ever won in the category. Not ever. In 65 years of Emmy ceremonies. Not even once. Apparently the Emmys are all:

(Not that there haven't been a number of black actresses who deserved to be nominated.)

But Kerry Washington accepted that challenge.

If you aren't in the know, she's on this show called Scandal. And it's:

NEWS: Check out the full list of nominations for the 2013 Emmy Awards

Kerry plays Olivia Pope, a mster of spinning PR and the top "fixer" in D.C. If you have a problem, she has a solution. And Kerry, as Olivia, basically just alternates between yelling at people in HBIC power suits:

And crying with her entire face:

OK, so she has more emotions than that. Actually maybe she has too many emotions (she's happy! She's sad! She's bangin' the president!)

And no one (NO ONE) can rock a pair of elbow-length gloves like Kerry/Olivia:

So we knew Kerry was going to get nominated. And Scandal fans (you, right?) knew she was going to get nominated. But when it came time for nominations to be announced, we didn't know if the Emmys would know too.

But again, Kerry was all:

Actually, what she said tweeted after receiving her first ever Emmy nomination was, "WOW! Im so grateful &humbled…I'll spend the rest of my life saying this and it won't ever be enough but... THANK YOU @shondarhimes XOXOXOX "

So now we wait, until the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 22.

NEWS: Scandal's Dan Bucatinsky talks Emmy noms: It's time we make history!

But we know Kerry Washington is thinking:

Because:

In reality though, Queen Kerry Washington will be perfectly humble whether she wins or loses. But she should win because 1) We love Connie Britton and Elizabeth Moss and Claire Danes, but this is Kerry's year. She's amazing on Scandal (see above). And 2) It's time a deserving, black actress won. 65 years is long enough.

You know what to do Emmys.

And if she loses, well, it will be a:

PHOTOS: Check out some notable nominees for the 2013 Emmy Awards

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