Stage, screen, and TV actress Cicely Tyson, who spent her life breaking through glass ceilings in media, has died at the age of 96. Her longtime manager Larry Thompson announced her death with no other details.
Tyson was an icon in every sense of the word. Her vivid portrayals of strong African-American women shattered racial stereotypes in the dramatic arts of the 1970s; propelling her to stardom and fame as a model for civil rights.
With a career that spanned seven decades, Cicely Tyson broke ground for serious Black actors by refusing to take parts that demeaned Black people. She urged Black colleagues to do the same, and often went without work.
Also, Tyson heavily criticised films that portrayed Black people as criminal, subservient, or immoral. She insisted that filmmakers portray African-Americans with dignity, no matter their status in society.
Awards
Cicely Tyson appeared in more than 100 film, television, and stage roles; including some that had traditionally reserved for white actors. She won three Emmys and many awards from civil rights and women’s groups. At 88, Tyson became the oldest person to win a Tony, for her 2013 Broadway role in a revival of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful.
At 93, she won an honorary Oscar and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2018; and into the Television Hall of Fame in 2020. She also won a career achievement Peabody Award in 2020.