Awards
Academy Awards1 won · 1 nominated
- Won1964Best Actor · Lilies of the Field
- Nominated1959Best Actor · The Defiant Ones
BAFTA Film Awards1 won
- Won2016BAFTA Fellowship
Golden Globes2 won · 5 nominated
- Won1981Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award
- Nominated1967Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · In the Heat of the Night
- Nominated1965Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · A Patch of Blue
- Won1963Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · Lilies of the Field
- Nominated1961Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · A Raisin in the Sun
- Nominated1959Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · Porgy and Bess
- Nominated1958Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · The Defiant Ones
Primetime Emmy Awards2 nominated
- Nominated1997Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie · Mandela and de Klerk
- Nominated1991Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie · Separate But Equal
SAG Awards1 won · 1 nominated
- Won2000Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award
- Nominated1998Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie · Mandela and de Klerk
Berlin International Film Festival2 won
- Won1963Silver Bear · Lilies of the Field
- Won1958Best Actor · The Defiant Ones
Other awards17 won · 10 nominated
- Won2015Spingarn Medal: Spingarn Medal
- Won2009Presidential Medal of Freedom: Presidential Medal of Freedom
- Nominated2008Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording: Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording
- Won2008Paul Robeson Award: Paul Robeson Award
- Won2006Marian Anderson Award: Marian Anderson Award
- Won2002Academy Honorary Award: Academy Honorary Award
- Won2001Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording: Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording · The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
- Won2001NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award: NAACP Image Award – Hall of Fame Award
- Nominated2000Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording: Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording
- Won2000NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special · The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
- Nominated1998NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special · Mandela and de Klerk
- Nominated1996NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special · Children of the Dust
- Won1995Kennedy Center Honors: Kennedy Center Honors
- Nominated1994NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture · Sneakers
- Won1994star on Hollywood Walk of Fame: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Won1992AFI Life Achievement Award: AFI Life Achievement Award
- Nominated1992NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series · Separate But Equal
- Nominated1988NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture · Shoot to Kill
- Won1986honorary doctor of the University of Miami: honorary doctor of the University of Miami
- Won1981Coretta Scott King Award: Coretta Scott King Award
- Won1978Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame: Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame
- Won1974Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire: Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Nominated1970Henrietta Award: Henrietta Award
- Nominated1969Henrietta Award: Henrietta Award
- Won1968Henrietta Award: Henrietta Award
- Won1968Silver Shell for Best Actor: Silver Shell for Best Actor
- Nominated1960Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play: Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play
Awards from Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.