Cicely Tyson

Cecily Louise "Cicely" Tyson (; December 19, 1924 – January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades, she was known for her portrayals of complex and strong-willed African-American women. She received several awards including an three Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Tony Award as well as nominations a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award. She was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2015, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Honorary Academy Award in 2018.

She garnered widespread attention and critical acclaim for her performance a black mother facing adversity in the drama film Sounder (1972), for which she was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. She also acted in films such as A Man Called Adam (1966), The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968), The River Niger (1976), Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), The Help (2011), and Last Flag Flying (2017).

On television, she broke barriers taking a regular role on the CBS drama series East Side West Side (1963–1964). She won two Primetime Emmy Awards, her first for Best Lead Actress in a Drama for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), and her second for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994). She was Emmy-nominated for her roles in Roots (1977), King (1978), Sweet Justice (1995), A Lesson Before Dying (1999), The Trip to Bountiful (2013), and How to Get Away With Murder (2015–2020).

In addition to her screen career, Tyson was known for her starring roles on Broadway. She made her debut in the Lonnie Coleman play Jolly's Progress (1959), followed by Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright (1962), Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights (1968), and The Corn Is Green (1983). At 88, she became the oldest winner for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role in the revival of the Horton Foote play The Trip to Bountiful (2013). She made her final Broadway appearance starring in the revival of The Gin Game (2016) opposite James Earl Jones.