Academy Award-winner Spike Lee will get the Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction from the Directors Guild of America, the organization announced last week.    

“Icon. Trailblazer. Visionary. Spike Lee has changed the face of cinema, and there is no single word that encapsulates his significance to the craft of directing,” Lesli Linka Glatter, president of the DGA, told Variety. “From his groundbreaking ‘Do the Right Thing,’ ‘BlacKkKlansman’ and everything in between—to his signature ‘double dolly’ shot, Spike is an innovator on so many levels. His bold and passionate storytelling over the past three decades has masterfully entertained, as it held a stark mirror to our society and culture.”  

The 74th annual DGA awards ceremony will be held on March 12.   

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Lee will be the first Black director honored with a lifetime achievement award in its history. He is joining other legendary directors, including Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles, according to Variety.   

“While he is no stranger to huge commercial success, he is also the beating heart of independent film,” Glatter said. “Even as countless filmmakers call Spike their mentor and inspiration, he continues to devote his time to teaching future generations how to make their mark. We are thrilled to present Spike with the DGA’s highest honor.”