Iconic Award Winning Actress Cicely Tyson Passes Away At 96
By: Omar Cook
Iconic Actress Cicely Tyson passed away Thursday at 96 years old. Her death was announced by her family, through her manager Larry Thompson. The details of her death are unknown at this moment.
“With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy,” according to Thompson’s statement. “I have managed Miss Tyson’s career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing—-Cicely thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree.”
Cicely Tyson was born in East Harlem to West Indian immigrant parents, Frederica Tyson, a domestic worker, and William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter. After completing high school she worked as a secretary for the American Red Cross before pursuing her career in modeling. She appeared in publications such as Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. She eventually landed a role as Barbara Allen in a 1959 Off Broadway revival of the musical “The Dark of the Moon.” She transitioned into the variety show “Talent ’59” on Broadway and appeared in a production of “Jolly’s Progress” in which she understudied Eartha Kitt, before her breakout role in “The Blacks” jumpstarted her career.
Tyson began her film career in 1957 with a supporting role in “Twelve Angry Men” and eventually made her formal debut in Sidney Poitier’s film “Odds Against Tomorrow,” in 1959. She then went on to play in “The Comedians,” “The Last Angry Man,” “A Man Called Adam” and “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” Tyson refused to participate in the blaxploitation movies which grew in popularity in the late ’60s, and waited until 1972 to return to film in the drama “Sounder,” which she earned an Oscar nomination for Best actress in 1973. She eventually won an honorary Oscar in 2018 for the film.
Cicely Tyson was just as much of a success in television as she was in film. Tyson held roles in “Miss Jane Pittman,” “Roots,” “The Wilma Rudolph Story,” “King: The Martin Luther King Story,” “When No One Would Listen,” “A Woman Called Moses,” “The Marva Collins Story,” “The Women of Brewster Place,” “The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All” and “Trip to Bountiful.”
Tyson was a pioneer for Black actresses as she consistently refused to play drug addicts, prostitutes or maids, roles that were demeaning to Black women. A true queen indeed.
Tyson was the first Black woman to have a recurring role in a drama series starring in, “East Side/West Side,” and she eventually went on to win two very well deserved Emmys for 1974’s memorable “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” Throughout her career she was nominated a total 16 times, including winning for supporting actress, in 1994 for an adaptation of “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All.” Tyson received 5 nominations for guest actress in a drama for “How to Get Away With Murder.”
Tyson worked recently with Tyler Perry in a number of films including “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”, “Madea’s Family Reunion and “Why Did I Get Married Too?” In 2013, Tyson won a Tony for best actress for her role as Carrie Watts in “A Trip to Bountiful,” continued her performance in 2014 for the Lifetime TV adaptation.
Tyson most recently chronicled her life journey and career in her first memoir, "Just As I Am," which was just released Tuesday. Cicely Tyson paved the way for many other Black actresses and actors and her legacy will live on, immortalized through her work on television and film. Rest in peace legend.
“I wait for roles — first, to be written for a woman, then, to be written for a black woman—And then I have the audacity to be selective about the kinds of roles I play. I’ve really got three strikes against me. So, aren’t you amazed I’m still here?”
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