Gossett's long and distinguished career began in the 1950s on Broadway and spanned television and films.
He was nominated for eight Emmy awards and won in 1977 for his role in the groundbreaking TV miniseries "Roots," which depicted the brutality of slavery.
His most recent Emmy nomination came in 2020 for the HBO series "Watchmen."
Gossett made history in 1983 when he became only the second Black man, after actor Sidney Poitier 19 years earlier, to win an Oscar. Gossett won for best supporting actor as a no-nonsense drill sergeant in the romantic drama "An Officer and a Gentleman."
He was also a producer, director, social activist and founder of the Eracism Foundation to combat racism.
Louis Gossett Jr. was 87.
