An all-Black alliance called 'The Cookout' got 'Big Brother' its first Black winner. 8 houseguests tell us why it worked.

"Big Brother 23" winner Xavier Prather and runner-up Derek Frazier.CBS

• Xavier Prather, a 27-year-old lawyer, became the first Black winner of "Big Brother" on Wednesday.
• Prather was part of an all-Black alliance of six called "The Cookout," which dominated "BB23."
• Insider spoke with eight houseguests from this season, including all six members of "The Cookout."

The long-running CBS reality television show "Big Brother" made history on Wednesday when it named a Black contestant the winner of its 23rd season.

Prior to Wednesday, just three people of color (POC) had won the months-long competition since it premiered in the summer of 2000. None of the winners were Black.

The win, secured by 27-year-old Xavier Prather, followed a season of firsts on "BB23," led by an all-Black alliance of six players called "The Cookout," whose players eliminated the other 10 houseguests in the game and individually won numerous competitions.

Season 23 of "Big Brother" was the most diverse in its history following a pledge by CBS late last year to cast at least 50% Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) in all future seasons of its unscripted programming, including "Big Brother" and "Survivor."

All six members of "The Cookout" and two other houseguests who were eliminated by the alliance spoke with Insider about the history-making team.