The Oscar nominee, Emmy and Tony winner was 96

The legendary, celebrated artist Cicely Tyson, who struck her way in an era of Hollywood that was especially hostile to black actresses, passed away on Thursday, just two days after she released her memoir, at the age of 96.

“The family of Miss Cicely Tyson’s family is announcing their peaceful transition this afternoon,” her manager, Larry Thompson, told Yahoo Entertainment in a statement. “Allow your family privacy right now.”

Thompson said he ran Tyson for more than 40 years, and that her book, Just like me, had great significance for her.

“Every year has been a privilege and a blessing,” he said. Cicely thinks of her new memoir as a Christmas tree adorned with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today she places the last ornament, a star, on top of the tree. ‘

Tyson has spent more than 60 years as a star of the stage, TV and film, and has already starred in TV parts Leading light and Ek Spy. In 1973, she was nominated for Best Actress Oscar for her role in Soonder, a film about black contestants in Louisiana in the 1930s. She did not win then, but she was awarded an honorary award during the 2019 ceremony for her work in Fried green tomatoes, Diary of a crazy black woman, The help and numerous other films.

On TV, Tyson received praise for turning on her The autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Oldest living covenant widow tells all, Roots, The Women of Brewster Place and numerous other programs and TV movies made. She has appeared in the ABC drama for the past six years How to get away with murder, for which she earned five Primetime Emmy nods.

Tyson was born in Harlem to immigrants from the West Indies and began her career as a model, earning her first TV credit on an episode of Boundaries of faith in 1951.

‘I walked into Fifth Avenue. I would actually spend my lunch hour at Lord & Taylor, ”Tyson explained to NPR as she promoted her book. “It was my favorite store. And I would go there every time I finished my lunch and see what they had. And someone taps me on the shoulder and asks my agency. And I asked, “Which agency?” They said, “Aren’t you a model?” I said no. And they answered, “Well, it must be you.” And I said, ‘Well, how do you do that?’ They said, “Well, you register at a modeling school and then you get your certificate if you are good enough.” And then I started distributing my photos among the agencies. And then I started getting calls and so it started. ”

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In a separate interview with NPR, she said Soonder was the film that led to her decision to choose films that tell the story of African-American women. This happened during the promotion of Soonder, when a white reporter told her he was surprised to hear that black children also call their parents father and mother.

“He could not equate the fact that this man was on the same level as him,” Tyson said. And really, I admired him because he stood up in an audience and said that, and I thought to myself, ‘Cicely, you really can not afford the luxury of just being an actress. ”

She won a Tony Award for her work in reviving the 2013 stage version The journey to abundance, when she was 88.

By 2016, Tyson was the recipient of the presidential medal of freedom, the highest honor for a citizen. Speaking as President Barack Obama, he said: “In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only succeeded in succeeding as an actor, but also in the course of history.”

Here are some reminders that her many famous friends and fans have posted on social media:

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Originally published 29 January 2021, 03:44