“Oh, my God! Oh, my God!,” actor Billy Porter yelled excitedly on the Emmys stage Sunday, prompting a standing ovation during the ceremony.
Porter made history as the first openly gay black man to win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series for playing Pray Tell in”Pose,” an FX series about New York City’s Latino and African American LGBTQ ballroom culture.
After a few more excited “Oh, my Gods!,” the first-time Emmy nominee went on to reference James Baldwin, the celebrated African American activist and writer.
“‘It took many years of vomiting up all the filth that I had been taught about myself and halfway believed before I could walk around this Earth like I had the right to be here,’” he quoted Baldwin.
Here’s the rest of Porter’s triumphant speech:
“I have the right. You have the right. We all have the right! There were so many people who helped me get here along the way, so I’m just going to say thank you.
Thank you first of all to the other exquisitely talented men in my category. I love you all so much. It is such an honor to be up here breathing the same air that y’all breath. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
My momma Cloerinda, there is no stronger, more resilient woman who has graced this Earth. I love you, Mommy. Much love to the actors … my sister... my husband, Adam Porter-Smith, Suzy, Bill Butler, my manager of 29 years. Twenty-nine years. You helped me believe in myself when I couldn’t believe.
FX. All the people at FX… Alexa Fogel… my ‘Pose’ cast. Everybody in my ‘Pose’ cast. Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy. You saw me. You believed in us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. We are the people. We as artists are the people that get to change the molecular structure of the hearts and minds of the people who live on this planet. Please don’t ever stop doing that. Please don’t stop ever telling the truth. I love you all. They’re telling me to please stop. God bless you. God bless you.”
“Pose” star Billy Porter shares how he was cast for his role -- or wished it into existence.
1/36
The cast of “Game of Thrones” comes onstage to accept the drama series award during the show at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
2/36
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (speaking) and fellow cast and crew members of “Fleabag” accept the comedy series award during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater. (Getty Images)
3/36
Jodie Comer of “Killing Eve” reacts to winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series during the show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
4/36
Jodie Comer, left, and Sandra Oh from “Killing Eve” react to Comer winning the Emmy award for lead actress in a drama series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
5/36
Lorne Michaels and the cast and crew of “Saturday Night Live” win the Emmy for variety sketch series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
6/36
Adam DeVine performs onstage during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
7/36
People perform during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
8/36
Peter Dinklage of “Game of Thrones” accepts the award for supporting actor in a drama series during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards show. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
9/36
Jharrel Jerome of “When They See Us” wins for lead actor in a limited series or movie at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
10/36
Peter Krause and Angela Bassett prepare to present the award for lead actor in a limited series or movie during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
11/36
Michelle Williams accepts her lead actress in a limited series or movie award for “Fosse/Verdon.” (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
12/36
Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Bill Hader prepare to present the award for supporting actor in a limited series or movie. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
13/36
Phoebe Waller-Bridge accepts the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series for “Fleabag.” (Chris Pizzello / Invision/Associated Press)
14/36
Don Cheadle from “Black Monday” and Kristen Bell from “The Good Place” present the supporting actress in a drama series award during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
15/36
Cherry Jones presents the award for writing for a drama series during the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
16/36
The cast of “Chernobyl” accepts the Emmy for limited series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
17/36
During the opening, Homer Simpson takes a brief stab at hosting. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
18/36
Bryan Cranston, another of the momentary “hosts” early in the ceremony. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
19/36
Tony Shalhoub accepts a statuette for supporting actor in a comedy series while presenters Bob Newhart, center, and Ben Stiller watch. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
20/36
Bryan Cranston. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
21/36
Patricia Arquette, from “Escape at Dannemora,” wins for supporting actress in a limited series or movie. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
22/36
Ben Stiller stands between figures of George Burns and Lucille Ball; Bob Newhart waits in the shadows. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
23/36
Thingamajig from “The Masked Singer” accompanies accountants from Emmy tabulators Ernst & Young. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
24/36
“Game of Thrones” actors, from left, Alfie Allen, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Carice van Houten. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
25/36
RuPaul Charles accepts the statuette for competition program: “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
26/36
Presenters Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz enter, blindfolded, to present the award for lead actor in a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
27/36
Bill Hader from “Barry” accepts the award for lead actor in a comedy series. Presenters Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz watch. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
28/36
Nick Cannon and Ken Jeong present the award for writing for a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
29/36
Amy Poehler, left, and Catherine O’Hara present the award for supporting actress in a comedy series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
30/36
Alex Borstein from “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” wins the Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
31/36
John Oliver, from “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” accepts the award for variety talk series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
32/36
Lorne Michaels and the cast and crew of “Saturday Night Live” win for variety sketch series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
33/36
Adam DeVine performs at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
34/36
“Ozark’s” Julia Garner accepts her award for supporting actress in a drama series. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
35/36
Billy Porter, on stage as a presenter, would later win for lead actor in a drama series for “Pose.” (AFP/Getty Images)
36/36
Bill Hader accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for “Barry” at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
