What if... A crazy thought but what if... No black actor/actress did well enough to deserve a nomination?
But how do you define "well enough"?
It's touchy, because not only is picking a winner mostly subjective, but even picking the nominees is also mostly subjective. Most years, there are other deserving candidates who don't get nominated in whatever category we are talking about (snubs), whether this awards show or others. It happens.
The weird thing is that, in this error of inclusion and diversity, we have had two years in a row that no people of color had "good enough" performances to warrant a nomination in any of those categories.
The other touchy thing is that, if you say "Idris Elba was deserving of a nomination" (which I think is a reasonable opinion), then given that there are only 5 spots for nominees, which of the 5 that made it is there undeservingly? That seems like a very difficult question to me, and one that makes me nervous about how to rectify the situation.
At any rate, it is clear that the problem isn't with the other actors, but rather with the members of the Academy, and how different people can become members. And racial issues are not the only issues they are facing. A group of stuntmen held a rally right around Oscar time, protesting that there isn't an award for them, even though they often literally risk life and limb for the movies. Turns out there are only a handful of stunt people that are members of the Academy.
*shrugs*