The Emmy Award and Tony-winning actress’ career spanned more than seven decades

The world lost a national treasure today, January 28, 2021, when it was announced that model and film icon, Cecily Tyson had passed away at age 96. Cicely Tyson’s groundbreaking role came in 1974 when she played Jane Pittman in the television movie, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman—her stellar performance as a woman who was born into slavery and lived to participate in the Civil Rights Movement in 1962 at the age of 110, was awarded with two Emmy Awards—Actress of the Year and Best Lead Actress in a Drama. She was the first Black woman to win a Lead Actress Emmy.

She would go on to win another Emmy in 1994 for her role in the miniseries, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.  Many more awards would follow— her 2019 Honorary Oscar was the first presented to a Black woman!

Cecily’s career was one that spanned more than seven decades! Though her breakout role came as Miss Jane Pittman, Tyson‘s first role was nearly 20 years earlier in 1956’s Carib Gold. She continued to act through 2020 with roles in Tyler Perry‘s  film, A Fall From Grace and on the television show, Cherish The Day as Miss Luma Lee Langston. 

Cecily Tyson, who was discovered by a photographer for Ebony Magazine, was also a successful fashion model. The Harlem-born pioneer was just as celebrated for impeccable style as she was for her obvious acting ability—she fearlessly played with bold patterns, bright colors and  accessories. As a model early on in her career, she earned 65 dollars a week at her peak—a substantial amount in the 1950s. 

The beauty married Kenneth Franklin at 18 years old and had a daughter from that union.  The marriage was dissolved less than two years later.  Tyson would later start to date jazz great, Miles Davis for a few years.

 

“One of the things I have always said about the man-woman relationship is that I don’t want anybody to walk ahead of me; and I don’t want anybody to walk behind me. I want a man who will walk along beside me. And that’s how I feel about equal rights.” – Cecily Tyson

Miles Davis even credited Tyson with saving his life and helping him overcome his cocaine addiction.  She was clearly a strong, positive and powerful Black woman on and off camera. Tyson certainly proved to be a pioneer in Hollywood—insisting on presenting only positive images of Black women. She shared in an Oprah interview that it would make her physically ill if she read a script that didn’t sit right with her spirit, and didn’t uplift the Black woman.  She shared that she simply could not accept such roles.  Ms. Tyson‘s work bringing the stories of Black women to life was honored by the Congress of Racial Equality, the NAACP — she was an eight-time Image Award winner and 15-time nominee.  In 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Cecily Tyson became known to a whole new generation when she co-starred with Viola Davis as Davis‘ mother in the hit ABC series, How to Get Away With Murder.  Cecily Tyson was regal—she was style, grace and sophistication, personified.  She has left a lasting legacy to which we should all aspire. ▪

 



(Left) Photograph by Jack Mitchell / Getty (Top) Image courtesy of Terry Tsiolis (Bottom, left) Photo courtesy of Harpo Studios (Bottom, right) Ms. Tyson in 1974, Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images






The Emmy Award and Tony-winning actress’ career spanned more than seven decades

The world lost a national treasure today, January 28, 2021, when it was announced that model and film icon, Cecily Tyson had passed away at age 96. Cicely Tyson’s groundbreaking role came in 1974 when she played Jane Pittman in the television movie, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman—her stellar performance as a woman who was born into slavery and lived to participate in the Civil Rights Movement in 1962 at the age of 110, was awarded with two Emmy Awards—Actress of the Year and Best Lead Actress in a Drama. She was the first Black woman to win a Lead Actress Emmy.

She would go on to win another Emmy in 1994 for her role in the miniseries, Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.  Many more awards would follow— her 2019 Honorary Oscar was the first presented to a Black woman!

Cecily’s career was one that spanned more than seven decades! Though her breakout role came as Miss Jane Pittman, Tyson‘s first role was nearly 20 years earlier in 1956’s Carib Gold. She continued to act through 2020 with roles in Tyler Perry‘s  film, A Fall From Grace and on the television show, Cherish The Day as Miss Luma Lee Langston. 

Cecily Tyson, who was discovered by a photographer for Ebony Magazine, was also a successful fashion model. The Harlem-born pioneer was just as celebrated for impeccable style as she was for her obvious acting ability—she fearlessly played with bold patterns, bright colors and  accessories. As a model early on in her career, she earned 65 dollars a week at her peak—a substantial amount in the 1950s. 

The beauty married Kenneth Franklin at 18 years old and had a daughter from that union.  The marriage was dissolved less than two years later.  Tyson would later start to date jazz great, Miles Davis for a few years.

 

“One of the things I have always said about the man-woman relationship is that I don’t want anybody to walk ahead of me; and I don’t want anybody to walk behind me. I want a man who will walk along beside me. And that’s how I feel about equal rights.” – Cecily Tyson

Miles Davis even credited Tyson with saving his life and helping him overcome his cocaine addiction.  She was clearly a strong, positive and powerful Black woman on and off camera. Tyson certainly proved to be a pioneer in Hollywood—insisting on presenting only positive images of Black women. She shared in an Oprah interview that it would make her physically ill if she read a script that didn’t sit right with her spirit, and didn’t uplift the Black woman.  She shared that she simply could not accept such roles.  Ms. Tyson‘s work bringing the stories of Black women to life was honored by the Congress of Racial Equality, the NAACP — she was an eight-time Image Award winner and 15-time nominee.  In 1977, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame.

Cecily Tyson became known to a whole new generation when she co-starred with Viola Davis as Davis‘ mother in the hit ABC series, How to Get Away With Murder.  Cecily Tyson was regal—she was style, grace and sophistication, personified.  She has left a lasting legacy to which we should all aspire. ▪

 

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