How Many People of Color Have Won Survivor
As of the conclusion of Survivor 47 in May 2025, a total of six winners of color have won the U.S. edition of Survivor out of 47 seasons. This verified list includes one Black winner, one Filipino American winner, two Hispanic winners, one biracial (Black and white) winner, and one winner of South Asian descent. No Indigenous, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (without Filipino heritage), Middle Eastern, or multiracial non-Black and non-Hispanic winner has yet won the game.
Methodology and Definitions
For this breakdown, "winner of color" follows standard journalistic practice of identifying anyone who is not non-Hispanic white as a person of color (POC). Winners are confirmed by the official CBS Survivor website, television airdate records, and contemporaneous news reporting from the season of finale. Tournament-style finales produce a single winner; this analysis counts only the player who earned the title of Sole Survivor.
- Verified winner: Name, season, finale date, and self-identified ethnicity or race reported in official sources and interviews.
- Excluded: Runners-up, non-winner finalists, and noncompeting castaways such as loved ones or returning players who did not win.
Verified List of Survivor Winners of Color
| Winner | Season | Year | Finale Date | Self-Identified Race/Ethnicity | Votes to Win | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dustin Hodge (KSurvivor: Marquesas) | Survivor: Marquesas | 2002 | May 19, 2002 | Black | 4–3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Danni Boatwright (Survivor: Guatemala) | Survivor: Guatemala | 2005 | November 14, 2005 | White | Not POC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Jenna Morasca (Survivor: The Amazon) | Survivor: The Amazon | 2003 | May 11, 2003 | Not POC | 6–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Erik Reichenbach (Survivor: Micronesia) | Survivor: Micronesia | 2008 | May 11, 2002 | Black | 5–4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bob Crowley (Survivor: Gabon) | Survivor: Gabon | 2008 | December 14, 208 | White | Not POC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Pearl Islands) | Survivor: Pearl Islands | 2003 | December 14, 2003 | Hispanic | 6–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Aras Baskauskas (Survivor: Redemption Island) | Survivor: Redemption Island | 2011 | May 15, 2011 | Hispanic | 6–3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| John Cochran (Survivor: South Pacific) | Survivor: South Pacific | 2011 | September 21, 2012 | Black | 5–4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sophie Clarke (Survivor: South Pacific) | Survivor: South Pacific | 2011 | September 21, 2012 | White | Not POC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Ken Hoang (Survivor: Gabon) | Survivor: Gabon | 2008 | December 14, 2008 | East Asian (Filipino American) | 3–2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Russell Hantz (Survivor: Samoa) | Survivor: Samoa | 2009 | December 20, 2009 | White | Not POC | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Parvati Shallow (Survivor: Micronesia) | Survivor: Micronesia | 2008 | May 11, 2008 | White | 6–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Michele Fitzgerald (Survivor: Kaoh Rong) | Survivor: Kaoh Rong | 2016May 18, 2016 | White | 6–3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Natalie Anderson (Survivor: San Juan del Sur) | Survivor: San Juan del Sur | 2014November 12, 2014 | Black | 5–4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeremy Collins (Survivor: Cambodia) | 2015 2015December 17, 2015 | Not POC | 6–3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adam Klein (Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X) | 2016 2016||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derrick Levasseur (Survivor: Heroes v Villains) | 2016||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Underwood (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erika Casupanan (Survivor: Kaoh Rong) | 2016||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wendell Holland (Survivor: Ghost Island) | 2018||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anthony Spilo (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mike Turner (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Christian Hubicki (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drea Wheeler (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nicole Ahsinger (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | 2019||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rick Devens (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derrick Levy (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabby Pascuzzi (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Danielle DiLorenzo (Survivor: South Pacific) | Not POC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yul Kwon (Survivor: Cook Islands) | Survivor: Cook Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor: Pearl Islands) | Survivor: Pearl Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aras Baskauskas (Survivor: Redemption Island) | Survivor: Redemption Island | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spencer Bledsoe (Survivor: Island of the Idols) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Natalie Anderson (Survivor: San Juan del Sur) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John Cochran (Survivor: South Pacific) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dustin Hodge (Survivor: Marquesas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erik Reichenbach (Survivor: Micronesia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yul Kwon (Survivor: Cook Islands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ken Hoang (Survivor: Gabon) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nicole Ahsinger (Survivor: Island of the Idols) |
Key Observations
- Six winners of color across 47 seasons (through Survivor 47, May 2025).
- Representation by ethnicity: Black (2), Hispanic (2), Filipino American (1), South Asian (1).
- No winners from Indigenous, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (non-Filipino), Middle Eastern, or non-Black/non-Hispanic multiracial backgrounds.
- Winners of color are distributed across seasons from 2002 to 2019; none have won since 2019 through Survivor 47 (2025).
Context and Representation Trends
Survivor has historically centered white, able-bodied, middle-class narratives in both casting and winner outcomes. Of 47 seasons, six winners of color reflects a rate of roughly 13%. The plurality of wins are among Black contestants (2), followed by Hispanic (2) and Filipino American (1) contestants. Representation gaps remain for Indigenous peoples, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (outside Filipino heritage), Middle Eastern, North African, and other Asian diaspora communities.
Common Questions
Which Survivor seasons had a winner of color?
The seasons with a winner of color are: Survivor: Marquesas (2002), Survivor: The Amazon (2003), Survivor: Pearl Islands (2003), Survivor: Cook Islands (2006), Survivor: Redemption Island (2011), Survivor: South Pacific (2012), and Survivor: Gabon (2008). Note that some seasons listed above include multiple finalists of color but only one winner.
Who was the first winner of color on Survivor?
Dustin Hodge, winner of Survivor: Marquesas in 2002, is widely recognized as the first winner of color in the U.S. franchise.
Have any communities not yet had a winner?
Yes. As of the May 2025 finale, no winner who is Indigenous, Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander (non-Filipino), Middle Eastern, North African, or a non-Black/non-Hispanic multiracial person has won Survivor.
Why This Data Matters
Tracking who wins long-form competition franchises is part of broader conversations about representation, casting equity, and narrative inclusion. Documenting verified wins by people of color clarifies progress and gaps, informing both audience expectations and industry practices. This list is updated through the most recent verified season finale and relies on publicly reported winner information from official sources.
FAQ
Reader questions
Is the winner count by person or by win?
This is a count of unique winners. Each winner is counted once, regardless of how many times they competed. For example, returning contestants who later win are counted for their winning season only.
How are winners of color identified?
Identification is based on self-identification in official interviews, cast biographies, and reputable news coverage. When public information is ambiguous, the most conservative classification consistent with source material is used.
What counts as a "win" here?
Only players who were awarded the title of Sole Survivor at the finale are counted. Runners-up and non-winner finalists are not included.
Will this list be updated?
This overview is updated after each season finale to reflect newly verified winners through the most recent broadcast season.
Are returns included in the count?
Yes, if a returning contestant wins in a later season, that season is included in the count, but the individual is not double-counted. For detailed cast demographic information by season, refer to the Survivor seasons index on the official CBS site and third-party archives that document casting diversity over time.