After thirty years of neglect from the film industry’s most prestigious ceremony, the Academy Awards have finally decided to recognize one of the most significant artists in cinematic history, an honor to Spike Lee that is long overdue.

Back in 1989, Do The Right Thing was snubbed by the Oscars in what was recognized as a continuation of the Academy’s refusal to celebrate artists of diverse cultures and ethnicities, and sure enough, none of his iconic films such as Malcolm X, Crooklyn, Mo Better Blues, She’s Gotta Have It, Jungle Fever, or 25th Hour ever garnered him any acknowledgment thereafter.

Now it appears as if the Academy is looking to right those wrongs by way of awarding Spike’s latest film, BlackKklansmen, as the Jordan Peele produced film has been nominated for a total of six awards for a moment where restitution would seem inevitable.  Upon hearing the news many speculated how Lee would receive the gesture after all these years, and by way of his IG timeline and a NY Times phone interview, he let it be known that it’s better late than never and that he’s thrilled to finally be nominated.

In the phone conversation, Lee spoke on the 30-year snub, saying “I mean, look, it’s no secret. 30 years is a long time. But I’m not complaining! It’s a joyous day. I’m blessed for this day. Blessed for the recognition. And there’s a feeling that it’s not just the people that worked on this film [that have earned recognition], it’s the people that have been working on my films since 1986.”