Editing Cicely Tyson

{{Short description|American actress (1924–2021)}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Cicely Tyson
| image         = Cicely Tyson 1973 (cropped).jpg
| caption       = Tyson in 1973
| birth_name    = Cecily Louise Tyson<ref>{{cite news|title='Stars of Tomorrow' Enroll for Contest|url=https://www.mediafire.com/view/fjt0h42a4as8ije|work=[[New York Amsterdam News]]|date=May 23, 1953|quote=Close on her heels were Jean Johnson, a beautician of 435 W. 125th St., and Cecily Tyson, a fashion model, who lives at 311 E. 102nd St.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cicely Tyson, Towering Award-Winning Star of Stage and Screen, Dies at 96|url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/182174/cicely-tyson-towering-award-winning-star-of-stage-and-screen-dies-at-96/|work=[[Broadway.com]]|date=January 28, 2021|quote=Cicely Louise Tyson was born on December 18, 1924 in New York City.}}</ref>
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1924|12|19}}<ref name="dob">Elber, Lynn (January 23, 2020). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82758843 "Cicely Tyson Talks Life, Longevity and Love"]. ''Chicago Tribune''. p.&nbsp;36. "She described her annual birthday eve ritual. 'I sit at a table with a clock and when it gets to one minute after 12, that's when I say, "Thank You," and "Happy Birthday, Cicely,"' said Tyson, who was born December 19, 1924 in New York City." See also:
* Tyson, Cicely; Burford, Michelle (2021). ''Just as I Am: A Memoir''. New York, NY: HarperCollins. pp.&nbsp;16, 17, 368. {{ISBN|978-0-06-293106-1}} "My parents began their married life together in a Bronx tenement before later relocating to Manhattan's East Side. The year after they wed, they welcomed my brother, Melrose, a name my father had loved since the day he spotted it on a street sign in the Bronx. Six days before Christmas in 1924, I arrived with my thumb poked in my mouth and nary a strand of hair." [...] "After we'd moved from the Bronx to the East Side, Daddy would put me in my stroller early in the mornings and walk me over to Central Park." [...] "During the press blitzkrieg surrounding the Kennedy Center ceremony, I spoke that number aloud with nary a quake in my voice. 'When were you born?' one reporter asked me. 'December 19, 1924,' I answered.'"
* [https://www.playbill.com/person/cicely-tyson-vault-0000041721 "Cicely Tyson, performer"]. [[Playbill Vault]].
* Palm, Anika Myers (January 29, 2021). [http://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_d91abe4af6ecc953c64fbe3d8e75df73 "Cicely Tyson, iconic and influential actress, dies at 96"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021052840/https://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_d91abe4af6ecc953c64fbe3d8e75df73 |date=October 21, 2022 }}. [[CNN]]. "Tyson was born December 19, 1924, in New York to William and Theodosia Tyson."
* Dillon, Nancy; Greene, Leonard (January 29, 2021). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82765500 "Cicely Tyson Dies, 96; B'way, Hollywood star played strong women"]. ''New York Daily News''. "Cicely Tyson was born in Harlem on December 19, 1924."
* [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jan/31/cicely-tyson-obituary "Cicely Tyson Obituary"]. ''The Guardian''. January 31, 2021. "Cicely Tyson, actor, born 19 December 1924; died 28 January 2021."
* Tyson, Cicely (December 19, 2019). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=83039850 p.&nbsp;A8. "Thought of the Day"].''Kent County News''. "Cicely Tyson, American actress, born on this day in 1924."
* Democrat staff (December 19, 2018). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=83039710 "It's Your Birthday: Who's Celebrating Today"]. ''Tallahassee Democrat''. p.&nbsp;5B.
* Record-Journal staff (December 19, 2017). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=83039645 "Today in History"]. ''Meriden Record-Journal''. p. B6.
* Times staff (December 19, 2016). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=83039411 "Birthdays"]. ''The Salisbury Daily Times''. p&nbsp;.C6.</ref>{{efn|At the time of her death, numerous sources, most notably the New York Times, listed Tyson's date of birth as December 18, 1924. Indeed it was the Times, back in 2013, that had first broken the story, confirmed by Tyson, that the actress was in fact 88 years old, and thus born in December 1924 rather than 1933 as had been previously reported.<ref>Brantley, Ben (April 23, 2013). [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/theater/reviews/the-trip-to-bountiful-at-the-stephen-sondheim-theater.html "Home Is Where the Years Disappear"]. ''New York Times''.</ref> As Tyson explained in her 2021 memoir, "1933" was no mistake, but rather a prime example of the age-shaving initiated by her onetime manager and perpetuated by Tyson with the express intent of bypassing the pervasive age discrimination facing women in the industry. That said, no matter how many ''years'' mysteriously vanished along the way, the month and day of her birth, as cited in media accounts throughout Tyson's career, had remained a constant at December 19.<ref>* Herald-Palladium staff (December 18, 1976). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82708625/the-herald-palladium/ "What in the World: Birthdays (Sunday-Saturday)"]. ''The Herald-Palladium Family Weekend''. p.&nbsp;14.
* Associated Press (December 19, 1978). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82945454 "Today"]. ''Corvallis Gazette-Times''. p.&nbsp;11.
* Associated Press (1979). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82945875 "Today in History"]
* Bulletin staff (December 19, 1985). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82815587 "Today in History"]. ''Latrobe Bulletin''. p.&nbsp;20.
* Reporter-Times staff (December 19, 1987). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82814613/the-reporter-times/ "World Almanac Datebook: Dec. 19, 1987"]. ''The Martinsville Reporter-Times''. p.&nbsp;2.
* Bulletin staff (December 19, 1988). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82814919 "Today in History"]. ''Latrobe Bulletin''. p.&nbsp;21.
* Associated Press (December 19, 1989). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82815334 "Today in History"]. ''Lancaster Intelligencer Journal''. p.&nbsp;2.
* Star staff. (December 18, 1998) [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82815454 "Birthdates"]. ''The Windsor Star''. p.&nbsp;34.
* World staff (December 19, 2001). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82815215 "Today's Birthdays"]. ''Daily World''. p.&nbsp;28.
* World staff (December 19, 2018). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82815060 "Celebrity Birthdays"]. ''Daily World''. p.&nbsp;B3.</ref> By contrast, the only source for the Times' 12/18 date seems to be a 1935 document, the Petition for Naturalization filed by Cicely's father William Augustine Tyson on July 31 of that year. The problem is that by that time, again as recounted in the 2021 memoir, it had been at least seven months—and perhaps as many as 10—since Mr. Tyson actually resided with his wife and children. The previous fall, no longer willing to put up with William's persistent and unrepentant adultery (not to mention his hair-trigger temper when confronted regarding this behavior), Fredericka Tyson had gathered their three children plus essential belongings and promptly moved to a new address, where her husband was welcome to visit—so as not to deprive their children of a father altogether—but no more than that.<ref>Tyson, Cicely; Burford, Michelle (2021). ''Just as I Am: A Memoir''. New York, NY: HarperCollins. pp.&nbsp;47–53. {{ISBN|978-0-06-293106-1}}.</ref> (Just how deep a rift had been opened up between the two may perhaps be gleaned from the 1940 U.S. Census entry for the Tyson family, now minus William, wherein all four remaining Tysons have retroactively been 'reborn' in South Carolina.) And so, coming some seven to 10 months after their informal separation, with his attention presumably even more divided than before, a slight lack of precision regarding his eldest daughter's birth date should not come as too great a surprise.}}
| birth_place   = [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|2021|1|28|1924|12|19}}
| death_place   = New York City, U.S.
| resting_place = [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)|Woodlawn Cemetery]]
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{Marriage|Kenneth Franklin|1942|1956|end=div}}
* {{Marriage|[[Miles Davis]]|1981|1989|end=div}}
}}
| children      = 1
| occupation    = Actress
| awards        = [[List of awards and nominations received by Cicely Tyson|Full list]]
| years_active  = 1948–2020
| relatives     = 
| notable_works = [[Cicely Tyson on screen and stage|Full list]]
}}

'''Cecily Louise''' "'''Cicely'''" '''Tyson''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|I|s|ə|l|iː}}; December 19, 1924{{spnd}}January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, she is known for her portrayals of complex and strong-willed African American women.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cicely-Tyson|title=Cicely Tyson|work=[[Britannica]]|access-date=April 23, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/top-lists/cicely-tyson-legendary-portrait-of-beauty-courage-and-strength/|title=Cicely Tyson: Legendary Portrait Of Beauty, Courage And Strength|work=CBS Sacramento|last=Melton|first=Lori|date=December 7, 2015|access-date=September 19, 2018}}</ref> She received [[List of awards and nominations received by Cicely Tyson|several awards]] including three [[Primetime Emmy Awards|Emmy Awards]], a [[Peabody Award]] and a [[Tony Awards|Tony Award]], as well as nominations for a [[BAFTA Award]] and a [[Golden Globe Award]]. She was awarded the [[Kennedy Center Honors]] in 2015, the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 2016, and the [[Academy Honorary Award|Honorary Academy Award]] in 2018.

She garnered widespread attention and critical acclaim for her performance as a Black mother facing adversity in the drama film ''[[Sounder (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 (film)|A Man Called Adam]]'' (1966), ''[[The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (film)|The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter]]'' (1968), ''[[The River Niger (film)|The River Niger]]'' (1976), ''[[Fried Green Tomatoes]]'' (1991), ''[[Diary of a Mad Black Woman]]'' (2005), ''[[Because of Winn-Dixie (film)|Because of Winn-Dixie]]'' (2005), ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011) and ''[[Last Flag Flying]]'' (2017).

On television, she broke barriers by taking a regular role on the [[CBS]] drama series ''[[East Side West Side (TV series)|East Side West Side]]'' (1963–1964). She won two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]], her first for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Best Lead Actress in a Drama]] for ''[[The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (film)|The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman]]'' (1974), and her second for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie]] for ''[[Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (film)|Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All]]'' (1994). She was Emmy-nominated for her roles in ''[[Roots (1977 miniseries)|Roots]]'' (1977), ''[[King (miniseries)|King]]'' (1978), ''[[Sweet Justice]]'' (1995), ''[[A Lesson Before Dying (film)|A Lesson Before Dying]]'' (1999), ''[[The Trip to Bountiful (play)|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 theatre|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 age 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 (play)|The Trip to Bountiful]]'' (2013).<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/cicely-tyson|title= Cicely Tyson|website= [[National Women's History Museum]]|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref> She made her final Broadway appearance starring in the revival of ''[[The Gin Game]]'' (2016), opposite [[James Earl Jones]].

==Early life==
Tyson was born on December 19, 1924, in [[the Bronx]], New York City, but soon relocated with her family to [[East Harlem]].<ref name="dob"/> She was one of three children born to Fredericka (Huggins) Tyson, a domestic worker, and William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter and painter.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Anika Myers|last= Palm |title=Cicely Tyson, iconic and influential actress, dies at 96|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/entertainment/cicely-tyson-obit/index.html |date=January 29, 2021|access-date =January 29, 2021|website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McFadden |first=Robert D.|date=January 29, 2021|title=Cicely Tyson, an Actress Who Shattered Stereotypes, Dies at 96|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/obituaries/cicely-tyson-dead.html|access-date=January 30, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Her parents were immigrants from [[Nevis]] in the [[West Indies]].<ref>{{cite journal| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67858566.html| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20121106104318/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67858566.html |title= Cicely Tyson: Bah, Humbug? Actress Stars as Ms. Scrooge. (Living)| journal= [[The Cincinnati Post]]| publisher= republished online at Highbeam.com| date= November 28, 1997| archive-date= November 6, 2012| access-date= }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/01/archives/cicely-the-looker-from-sounder-cicely-the-looker.html|work=The New York Times |title=Cicely, the Looker From 'Sounder'; Cicely, the Looker |date=October 1, 1972|access-date=April 30, 2010|first=Judy |last=Klemesrud}}</ref> Her father arrived in New York City at age 21 and was processed at [[Ellis Island]] on August 4, 1919.<ref>[http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passRecord.asp?pID=603815010445 The Statue of Liberty – Ellis Island Foundation, Inc], Ellisisland.org; retrieved August 9, 2013.</ref>

Tyson grew up in a religious atmosphere. She sang in the choir and attended prayer meetings at an Episcopal church in [[East Harlem]]. Tyson's mother was opposed to her becoming an actress and would not speak to her for a time. She changed her mind when she saw Cicely appear on stage.<ref name=":1" />

==Career==
=== 1956–1969: Rise to prominence ===
[[File:Cicely Tyson 1973b.jpg|thumb|left|Tyson in 1973]]
Tyson was discovered by a photographer for [[Ebony (magazine)|''Ebony'']] magazine and became a successful fashion model. Her first acting role was a bit part in the 1956 film ''[[Carib Gold]]''<ref name="TCC">{{Cite web |url= https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2019/02/11/at-94-the-legendary-cicely-tyson-remains-an-optimist/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190211194438/https://www.charlestonchronicle.net/2019/02/11/at-94-the-legendary-cicely-tyson-remains-an-optimist/|url-status= usurped|archive-date= February 11, 2019|title=At 94, The Legendary Cicely Tyson Remains An 'Optimist'| work= The Charleston Chronicle| first=Stacy M. | last= Brown| publisher= |date=February 11, 2019 | access-date= }}</ref> and she first appeared onstage in [[Vinnette Justine Carroll|Vinnette Carroll]]'s production of ''[[Dark of the Moon (play)|Dark of the Moon]]'' at the [[Harlem YMCA]] in 1958.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last1=Messina |first1=Matt |title=Actress Finds TV Role Strikes Familiar Note |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68834446/ny-daily-news-profile-of-cicely-tyson/ |access-date=January 29, 2021 |work=Daily News |date=September 8, 1963 |pages=10|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> Tyson had small roles in the 1959 films ''[[Odds Against Tomorrow]]'' and ''[[The Last Angry Man]]'', as well as the 1960 comedy, ''[[Who Was That Lady?]]''<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Harold V. |title=At Random: Maelstrom |url=https://www.mediafire.com/view/59j7hr0jw6y3tmg |access-date=August 4, 2021 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date=October 14, 1965}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Margold |first1=Jane |title=Movies Mean Growing Up to Actress Cicely Tyson |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96908224/newsday-suffolk-edition/ |access-date=August 4, 2021 |work=Newsday |date=August 4, 1966}}</ref> In 1961, she made her television debut in the [[NBC]] series [[The Eternal Light|''Frontiers of Faith'']].<ref>{{cite news |last1= |first1= |title=Integration Conflict Dramatized |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=82771888 |access-date=August 4, 2021 |work=The Bradenton Herald |date=February 18, 1961 |pages=6|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1962, she became the first African American woman to wear an Afro on television in the United States.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In the early 1960s, Tyson appeared in the original cast of French playwright [[Jean Genet]]'s ''[[The Blacks (play)|The Blacks]].'' She played the role of Stephanie Virtue Secret-Rose Diop; other cast members included [[Maya Angelou]], [[James Earl Jones]], [[Godfrey Cambridge]], [[Louis Gossett Jr.]], and [[Charles Gordone]].<ref>{{Cite book |url= http://archive.org/details/blacks00grov|title=The blacks : a clown show|first1=Jean|last1=Genet|first2=Bernard|last2=Frechtman|date=November 24, 1960|place= New York |publisher= Grove Press, Inc. |isbn=9780394172200|via=Internet Archive}}</ref> The show was the longest running off-Broadway non-musical of the decade, running for 1,408 performances.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/16/obituaries/jean-genet-the-playwright-dies-at-75.html| title= Jean Genet, The Playwright, Dies at 75| first= Mel |last= Gussow |date= April 16, 1986 |work= The New York Times |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> She won the 1961–1962 Vernon Rice Award (later known as the [[Drama Desk Award]]) for her performance in another off-Broadway production, ''[[Moon on a Rainbow Shawl]]''.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Off-Broadway Awards Presented |work=The New York Times |date=May 15, 1962 |page=49}}</ref> In 1963, Tyson appeared on the game show ''[[To Tell The Truth]]'' as an "imposter" for Australian singer [[Shirley Abicair]], receiving two of the four possible votes.<ref>{{cite web |title=To Tell the Truth |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF-qRsU6Aoc |website=[[CBS]] | date=July 28, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2022}}</ref>

Tyson, who once worked for a social services agency, was spotted by producer [[David Susskind]] in ''The Blacks'' and in ''[[Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright]]'', and was cast for a role in the CBS TV series ''[[East Side/West Side (TV series)|East Side/West Side]]'' (1963–1964), playing the secretary of a social worker played by [[George C. Scott]].<ref name=":1" /> She was at the time the only African-American regular member of a TV cast,<ref>{{cite web|title=Cicely Tyson Biography (1924–2021)|url=https://www.biography.com/actor/cicely-tyson| access-date= February 28, 2019 |publisher= [[Biography.com]]|quote=In 1963 Tyson became the first African American star of a TV drama in the series ''East Side/West Side''...}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite news|last1=Cosham|first1=Ralph H.|date=November 25, 1963 |title= Negro Comes to Television; Sponsors Happy|pages=29|work=Nashville Banner|agency=United Press International |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68828054/article-on-cicely-tyson-and-east-side/|access-date=January 29, 2021|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|quote= …only one dramatic program features a Negro as a regular member of the cast. She is Cicely Tyson, who portrays a social worker in the new CBS series ''East Side, West Side''.}}</ref> The show was noted for its treatment of social issues, and one of its episodes, on an African-American couple in [[Harlem]] (played by [[James Earl Jones]] and [[Diana Sands]]), was [[Blackout (broadcasting)|blacked out]] in [[Atlanta]] and [[Shreveport, Louisiana]].<ref name=":2" /> In the mid-1960s she had a recurring role in the soap opera ''[[Guiding Light|The Guiding Light]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kantrowitz|first=Barbara|date=September 3, 2009|title=After 72 Years, Springfield Gets a Stop Sign (Published 2009)|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/arts/television/06kant.html}}</ref> She appeared with [[Sammy Davis Jr.]] in the film ''[[A Man Called Adam (film)|A Man Called Adam]]'' (1966)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/08/cicely-tyson-and-glynn-turman-emmy-how-to-get-away-with-murder-1202167146/|title='How to Get Away with Murder': Cicely Tyson and Glynn Turman on the Honor of Acting|first1=Tambay|last1=Obenson|date=August 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2020-06-07/whats-on-tv-monday-the-bachelor-the-greatest-seasons-ever|title=What's on TV Monday: 'The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever'|date=June 8, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> and had a small role in the film version of ''[[The Comedians (1967 film)|The Comedians]]'' (1967) based on the [[Graham Greene]] novel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/comedians/review/111205|title=The Comedians &#124; TV Guide|website=TVGuide.com}}</ref> In 1968 Tyson had a featured role in ''[[The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (film)|The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1968/08/01/archives/screen-the-heart-is-a-lonely-hunteralan-arkin-starred-in-mccullers.html|title=Screen: 'The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter':Alan Arkin Starred in McCullers Story Dean Martin Western Is at Local Houses |first= Renata |last= Adler |date= August 1, 1968 |work= The New York Times |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>

===1970–1989: Stardom and acclaim ===
[[File:Cicely Tyson (1994).jpg|thumb|right|Tyson with her [[Primetime Emmy Award]] at the Governor's Ball in 1994]]
In 1972, Tyson played the role of Rebecca Morgan in the film ''[[Sounder (film)|Sounder]]''. She was nominated for both the [[Academy Award for Best Actress|Academy Award]] and [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama|Golden Globe Award]] for Best Actress for her work in ''Sounder,''<ref name="HWR">{{Cite news |last=Haylock |first=Zoe |date=January 28, 2021 |title=Cicely Tyson: 10 of Her Most Memorable Performances |work= The Hollywood Reporter |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/cicely-tysons-10-most-memorable-performances-1107817 |access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref> and also won the [[National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress|NSFC Best Actress]] and [[National Board of Review Award for Best Actress|NBR Best Actress]] Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2009 |title=Past Awards |url=https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about-2/ |access-date=January 30, 2021 |website=National Society of Film Critics }}</ref><ref name="National Board of Review">{{Cite web |title=Best Actress Archives |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/best-actress/ |access-date=January 30, 2021 |website=National Board of Review}}</ref> Critic [[Roger Ebert]] wrote of her performance, "The mother is played by Cicely Tyson, and it is a wonder to see the subtleties in her performance. We have seen her with her family, and we know her strength and intelligence. Then we see her dealing with the white power structure, and her behavior toward it is in a style born of cynicism and necessity. She will say what they want to hear in order to get what she wants to get."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sounder-1972|title= Sounder movie review|website= [[Roger Ebert]].com|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref>

In 1974, Tyson played the title role in the [[CBS]] television film ''[[The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (film)|The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman]].'' Tyson's portrayal of a centenarian black woman's life from slavery until her death before the [[Civil rights movement]] won her [[Emmy Awards]] [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie|Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]] and [[26th Primetime Emmy Awards|Actress of the Year – Special]]. Tyson was also nominated for a [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role]] for her work in this television film.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 29, 2021 |title=Cicely Tyson, award-winning American actress noted for playing strong characters – obituary |work=The Telegraph |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/01/29/cicely-tyson-veteran-american-actress-won-bafta-two-emmys-playing/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/01/29/cicely-tyson-veteran-american-actress-won-bafta-two-emmys-playing/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=January 29, 2021 |issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Nikki Giovanni of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote of her performance, "If Cicely Tyson isn't one of the best actresses on screen, then "grits ain't groceries, eggs ain't poultry, and Mona Lisa was a man," adding, "Miss Tyson never stepped out of character. Miss Tyson's performance was the reason awards were first invented."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1974/03/03/archives/-jane-pittman-fulfilled-my-deepest-expectations-television-i-am.html|title= 'Jane Pittman' Fulfilled My Deepest Expectations|website= [[The New York Times]]|date= March 3, 1974|accessdate= November 11, 2024|last1= Giovanni|first1= Nikki}}</ref>

Tyson's television roles included: Binta in the 1977 miniseries ''[[Roots (1977 miniseries)|Roots]]'', for which she was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]]; [[Coretta Scott King]] in the 1978 miniseries ''[[King (miniseries)|King]]'', for which she was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]]; [[Marva Collins]] in the 1981 television film ''[[The Marva Collins Story]]'', for which she received an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special]] and was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie]];<ref name="HWR"/> and Muriel in the 1986 television film ''[[Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story]]'', for which she received an [[NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cicely Tyson|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/film-and-television-biographies/cicely-tyson|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television}}</ref> Tyson was the first black woman to host ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''. Her episode featured the musical guest [[Talking Heads]] and aired on February 10, 1979.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694921/ | title=Cicely Tyson/Talking Heads | website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref> In 1989, Tyson appeared in the television miniseries ''The Women of Brewster Place.''<ref>{{Cite web|title=How The Women Of Brewster Place Revolutionized the Depiction of Black Women on TV|url=https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/the-women-of-brewster-place-miniseries-legacy|first=Jourdain|last=Searles|website=Thrillist|date=February 25, 2019}}</ref>

=== 1990–2021: Established star ===
In 1991, Tyson appeared in ''[[Fried Green Tomatoes (film)|Fried Green Tomatoes]]'' as Sipsey.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Cicely Tyson| url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/cicely_tyson|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024155805/http://www.rottentomatoes.com:80/celebrity/cicely_tyson/ |archive-date=October 24, 2007 |access-date=January 29, 2021|website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> In the 1994–95 television series ''[[Sweet Justice]],'' Tyson portrayed a civil rights activist and attorney named Carrie Grace Battle, a character she modeled after [[Dovey Johnson Roundtree]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fox|first=Margalit|date=May 21, 2018|title=Dovey Johnson Roundtree, Barrier-Breaking Lawyer, Dies at 104|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/obituaries/dovey-johnson-roundtree-dead.html|access-date=January 30, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Her other film roles include the dramas ''[[Hoodlum (film)|Hoodlum]]'' (1997) and ''[[Diary of a Mad Black Woman]]'' (2005), and the television films ''[[Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All]]'' (1994) (for which she received her third Emmy Award) and ''[[A Lesson Before Dying]]'' (1999).<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Fries|first1=Laura|date=May 21, 1999|title=A Lesson Before Dying|url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/reviews/a-lesson-before-dying-1117499797/|access-date=January 30, 2021|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> In 2005, Tyson co-starred in ''[[Because of Winn-Dixie (film)|Because of Winn-Dixie]].''<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2005 |title=Because of Winn-Dixie |website=[[IMDb]] |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317132/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1 |access-date=January 30, 2021}}</ref>

In 2010, Tyson appeared in ''[[Why Did I Get Married Too?]]'' and narrated the [[Paul Robeson|Paul Robeson Award]]-winning documentary ''Up from the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream.'' In 2011, Tyson appeared in her first music video in [[Willow Smith]]'s ''21st Century Girl.'' That same year, she played Constantine Jefferson, a maid in [[Jackson, Mississippi]], in the critically acclaimed period drama ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]].''<ref>{{cite web|title=''The Help''|website = [[IMDb]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_4|access-date=November 4, 2014}}</ref> Set in the backdrop of the [[Civil Rights Movement]], the film won the [[Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble]] and the [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture]].<ref>{{cite web |title=17th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (2012) – Best Picture: The Artist |url=http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/17th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2012/ |publisher=Critics Choice Association |access-date=February 1, 2021 |archive-date=January 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130108023529/http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/17th-annual-critics-choice-movie-awards-2012/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grossman |first1=Emily |title=Inside Every Recent Film Ensemble SAG Award Winner |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/inside-every-recent-film-ensemble-sag-award-winner-2420/ |access-date=February 1, 2021 |work=Backstage |date=December 14, 2018}}</ref>

At the [[67th Tony Awards]], on June 9, 2013, Tyson won the [[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play]] for her performance as Miss Carrie Watts in the [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] revival of the [[Horton Foote]] play ''[[The Trip to Bountiful (play)|The Trip to Bountiful]].'' Upon winning, the 88-year-old actress became the oldest recipient of the Best Actress Tony Award.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.playbill.com/news/article/178918-Kinky-Boots-Vanya-and-Sonia-Pippin-and-Virginia-Woolf-Are-Big-Winners-at-67th-Annual-Tony-Awards|title=Kinky Boots, Vanya and Sonia, Pippin and Virginia Woolf? Are Big Winners at 67th Annual Tony Awards|access-date=June 10, 2013|date=June 9, 2013|work=[[Playbill]]|author=Purcell, Carey|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130611034933/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/178918-Kinky-Boots-Vanya-and-Sonia-Pippin-and-Virginia-Woolf-Are-Big-Winners-at-67th-Annual-Tony-Awards |archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=McFadden|first=Robert D.|date=January 29, 2021|title=Cicely Tyson, an Actress Who Shattered Stereotypes, Dies at 96| language= en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/obituaries/cicely-tyson-dead.html|access-date=January 29, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> She also won the [[Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play]] and the [[Outer Critics Circle Award]] for Outstanding Actress in a Play for the role.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.playbill.com/news/article/178137-Billy-Porter-Andrea-Martin-Pippin-Matilda-Vanya-and-Sonia-Win-Drama-Desk-Awards|title=Billy Porter, Andrea Martin, Pippin, Matilda, Vanya and Sonia Win Drama Desk Awards|access-date=May 20, 2013|date=May 19, 2013|work=Playbill| last= Hetrick| first= Adam|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130605004524/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/178137-Billy-Porter-Andrea-Martin-Pippin-Matilda-Vanya-and-Sonia-Win-Drama-Desk-Awards|archive-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/pippin-is-big-winner-of-2012-13-outer-critics-circle-awards-204640|title=Pippin Is Big Winner of 2012–13 Outer Critics Circle Awards|access-date=May 13, 2013|date=May 13, 2013|work=[[Playbill]]|author=Gans, Andrew}}</ref>

In 2013, Tyson played a supporting role in the horror film ''[[The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia]].''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fangoria.com/new/director-tom-elkins-awakening-the-ghosts-of-georgia/|work=[[Fangoria]]|title=Director Tom Elkins: Awakening the "GHOSTS OF GEORGIA"|date=January 3, 2013|access-date=February 28, 2017|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301093042/http://www.fangoria.com/new/director-tom-elkins-awakening-the-ghosts-of-georgia/|archive-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Beginning in 2014, Tyson guest-starred on ''[[How to Get Away with Murder]]'' as Ophelia Harkness, the mother of main character [[Annalise Keating]] ([[Viola Davis]]); for this role, she was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series]] in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2020, she starred in the popular movie ''[[A Fall From Grace]]'' which was featured on [[Netflix]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netflix.com/title/81127902|title=A Fall from Grace {{!}} Netflix Official Site|website=netflix.com|access-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref>

==Personal life==
=== Marriages and relationships ===
[[File:Miles Davis and Cicely Tyson 1982.jpg|thumb|right|Davis and Tyson in 1982]]
At the age of 18, Tyson married Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942.<ref>{{cite web |title=Marriage License |url= https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=61788&h=90384728&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2442 |website=Ancestry |publisher=New York City Department of Records & Information Services |access-date=April 19, 2020}}</ref> They had a daughter two months later, in February 1943.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/cicely-tyson-opened-up-about-relationship-with-daughter-memoir/|work=People|title=Cicely Tyson Opened Up About Her Relationship with Her Daughter in Her Memoir: 'My Beloved Princess'|first=Alexia|last=Fernández|date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> According to her divorce decree, her husband abandoned her on June 18, 1944. The marriage was formally dissolved in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61788&h=90384728&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Pta203&_phstart=successSource&requr=281474977005568&ur=0&gsfn=&gsln=&h=90384728|title= Join Ancestry®|website= ancestry.com}}</ref><ref name='Divorce'>{{cite web |url=https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9280/images/43071_162028006056_0280-00220?pId=103759-5JC |title=Abstract of Divorce Decree|url-access=subscription |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=October 17, 1957 |website=Ancestry.com |access-date=January 13, 2021 }}</ref>

She was in a relationship with her ''[[Sounder (film)|Sounder]]'' co-star [[Paul Winfield]], living with him for about 18 months in the early 1970s.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| url=http://www.glbtq.com/arts/winfield_p.html| title=Winfield, Paul| encyclopedia=glbtq encyclopedia| first=Linda| last=Rapp| year=2005| access-date=January 28, 2007| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205063607/http://www.glbtq.com/arts/winfield_p.html | archive-date=February 5, 2007}}</ref>

Tyson began dating jazz trumpeter [[Miles Davis]] in the 1960s when he was in the process of divorcing dancer [[Frances Taylor Davis|Frances Davis]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date= February 15, 1968|title=Miles Davis And Wife Now 'Miles Apart'|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LrgDAAAAMBAJ&q=cicely+tyson+miles+davis+jet+1968&pg=PA23|journal=Jet|volume= 33| issue = 19|pages=23}}</ref> Davis used a photo of Tyson for his 1967 album, ''[[Sorcerer (Miles Davis album)|Sorcerer]]''. Davis told the press in 1967 that he intended to marry Tyson in March 1968 after his divorce was finalized,<ref>{{Cite journal|date=November 2, 1967|title=Miles Davis To Make March Merger With Cicely Tyson|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K7gDAAAAMBAJ&q=cicely+tyson+miles+davis+jet&pg=PA56|journal=Jet|volume= 33| issue = 4|pages=56}}</ref> but instead he married singer [[Betty Davis|Betty Mabry]] that September.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=October 17, 1968|title=One Of Sexiest Men Alive |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hTgDAAAAMBAJ&q=betty+davis+miles+davis+jet+1968&pg=PA48|journal=Jet|volume= 35| issue = 2|pages=48}}</ref>

Tyson and Davis rekindled their relationship in 1978. They were married on November 26, 1981, in a ceremony conducted by Atlanta mayor [[Andrew Young]] at the home of actor [[Bill Cosby]]. Their marriage was tumultuous due to Davis' volatile temper and infidelity.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Miles: The Autobiography| last1= Davis| first1= Miles |last2= Troupe| first2= Quincy |publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=1990|isbn=978-0-671-72582-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/milesautobiograp0000davi}}</ref> Davis credited Tyson with saving his life and helping him overcome his [[cocaine]] addiction.<ref name=":0" /> They resided in [[Malibu, California]], and [[New York City]], until she filed for divorce in 1988.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=February 22, 1988|title=Cicely Tyson To Divorce Trumpeter Miles Davis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbsDAAAAMBAJ&q=cicely+tyson+miles+davis+jet&pg=PA13|journal=Jet|volume= 73| issue = 21|pages=13}}</ref> Their divorce was finalized in 1989, two years before Davis died in 1991.<ref name=":0" />

Tyson was godmother to the singer [[Lenny Kravitz]], having been friends with his mother, actress [[Roxie Roker]], as well as to [[Denzel Washington]]'s daughter Katia and [[Tyler Perry]]'s son Aman.<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 29, 2021|title=Pioneering US actress Cicely Tyson dies aged 96| work= BBC News |url= https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-55851522|access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Allie |date=2025-01-01 |title=Lenny Kravitz's Net Worth in 2025 Shows It Pays to 'Dig In' |url=https://parade.com/celebrities/lenny-kravitz-net-worth |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=Parade |language=en}}</ref>

=== Interests and memoir ===
Tyson was an honorary member of [[Delta Sigma Theta]] sorority.<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. |user=dstinc1913 |number=1097513267587678209 |title=The legendary Cicely Tyson graces the cover of TIME Magazine's second Optimism issue out this month. Tyson has been acting since 1956. She has received several honors and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She's an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta.}}</ref> She was a member of the [[Abyssinian Baptist Church]] of New York.<ref>Leonardo Blair, [https://www.christianpost.com/news/cicely-tysons-pastor-remembers-her-faith.html Cicely Tyson's pastor remembers her faith as family announces public viewing], christianpost.com, USA, February 5, 2021</ref> She was a [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]].<ref>Armstrong, David. (1991). ''The Great American Medicine Show''. Prentice Hall. p. 62. {{ISBN|978-0133640274}}</ref> She was also a first cousin of [[Louis Farrakhan]], a longtime leader of the [[Nation of Islam]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lane|first=Carl L.|date=January 29, 2021|title=Actress, Cicely Tyson, Lived So Black Children Could Dream|url=https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/actress-cicely-tyson-lived-so-black-children-could-dream-349e21a8a622|access-date=March 6, 2021|website=Medium}}</ref> Tyson's memoir, ''Just as I Am'', was published on January 26, 2021,<ref name=Variety/> and she promoted the book during the last weeks of her life. When she was asked how she wanted to be remembered in an interview with [[Gayle King]], Tyson said, "I've done my best. That's all."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://journalnow.com/news/national/cicely-tyson-her-memoir-just-out-was-active-to-the-end/article_c8afe4c4-c1d2-566d-8465-7fe6dbf7d767.html|title=Cicely Tyson, her memoir just out, was active to the end|last1=Italie|first1=Hillel|last2=Kennedy|first2=Mark|work=[[Winston-Salem Journal]]|via=[[Associated Press]]|date=January 29, 2021|access-date=January 30, 2021|archive-date=January 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130134019/https://journalnow.com/news/national/cicely-tyson-her-memoir-just-out-was-active-to-the-end/article_c8afe4c4-c1d2-566d-8465-7fe6dbf7d767.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Death and tributes ===
Tyson died on January 28, 2021, at age 96.<ref name = Variety>{{cite web |last1=Dagan |first1=Carmel |title=Cicely Tyson, Pioneering Hollywood Icon, Dies at 96 |url= https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cicely-tyson-dead-dies-1234895188/ |website=Variety |access-date=January 28, 2021 |date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> Her funeral was held on February 16 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, and was attended by [[Tyler Perry]], her godson Lenny Kravitz, and [[Bill Clinton|Bill]] and [[Hillary Clinton]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=February 24, 2021 |first=Zita|last=Allen|title=Cicely Tyson and the Enduring Legacy of Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem |url=https://www.pointemagazine.com/cicely-tyson-dance-theatre-of-harlem-2650743939.html |access-date=February 25, 2021 |website=Pointe}}</ref> Tyson was interred in [[Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)]] with former husband Miles Davis.

After her death, former President [[Barack Obama]] released a statement, reading in part, "[[Michelle Obama|Michelle]] and I were honored when Cicely came to [[The White House]] to accept the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom|Medal of Freedom]], knowing she was one of the many giants upon whose shoulders we stood — a trailblazer whose legacy couldn't be measured by her [[Emmy Awards|Emmys]] and [[Tony Awards|Tony]] and [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] alone, but by the barriers she broke and the dreams she made possible."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/cicely-tyson-death-barack-obama-tributes-b917248.html|title= Barack Obama leads tributes to Hollywood pioneer Cicely Tyson|website= [[London Evening Standard]]|date= January 29, 2021|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref> Vice President [[Kamala Harris]] praised her for "inspir[ing] the world with her art, activism, and altruism".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://x.com/VP/status/1355260885154074624|title= Vice President Kamala Harris|website= [[Twitter|X]]|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref>

[[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s daughter [[Bernice King]] described her writing, "An elder...now an ancestor. What a vessel". Tyson's ''[[How To Get Away with Murder]]'' co-star [[Viola Davis]] wrote that she "made me feel loved and seen and valued" and gave her "permission to dream". Numerous members of the entertainment industry also paid tribute, including [[Ava DuVernay]], [[Barry Jenkins]], [[Regina King]], [[Halle Berry]], [[Kerry Washington]], [[Tessa Thompson]], [[Zendaya]],  [[Zoë Kravitz]], [[Rihanna]], [[Tracee Ellis Ross]], [[LeVar Burton]], [[Tyler Perry]], [[Oprah Winfrey]], [[Shonda Rhimes]] and [[Rita Moreno]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/01/29/cecily-tyson-death-obama-oprah-hollywood-mourn-reactions/|title= 'A Testimony To Greatness': Obama, Oprah, Hollywood Mourn Cicely Tyson's Death|website= [[Forbes (magazine)|Forbes]]|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2021/01/cicely-tyson-death-hollywood-reactions-oprah-ava-duvernay-zendaya-lena-waithe-1234682950/|title= Cicely Tyson Remembered: Barack Obama Praises "Trailblazer"; Ava DuVernay, Kamala Harris, Regina King, Tyler Perry, Viola Davis, Shonda Rhimes & More Applaud Icon's "Power & Grace" – Update|website= [[Deadline Hollywood]]|date= January 29, 2021|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a35356613/cicely-tyson-death-reactions/|title= Viola Davis, Shonda Rhimes, Zendaya, and More Remember Cicely Tyson|website= [[Harpers Bazaar]]|date= January 29, 2021|accessdate= November 11, 2024}}</ref>

== Acting credits and accolades ==
{{main|Cicely Tyson on screen and stage|List of awards and nominations received by Cicely Tyson}}
[[File:Secretary Kerry Poses for a Photo With the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors Recipients in Washington (23586744486).jpg|thumb|right|[[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[John Kerry]] with [[Kennedy Center Honors|Kennedy Center Honorees]] [[Rita Moreno]], [[Carole King]], [[George Lucas]], Cicely Tyson, and [[Seiji Ozawa]] in 2015]]
During her prolific career she acted in film and television projects such as ''[[The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (film)|The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter]]'' (1968), ''[[Sounder (film)|Sounder]]'' (1972), ''[[The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (film)|The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman]]'' (1974), ''[[Roots (1977 miniseries)|Roots]]'' (1977), ''[[A Woman Called Moses]]'' (1978), ''[[Bustin' Loose (film)|Bustin' Loose]]'' (1981), ''[[Fried Green Tomatoes]]'' (1991), ''[[A Lesson Before Dying (film)|A Lesson Before Dying]]'' (1999), ''[[Because of Winn-Dixie (film)|Because of Winn-Dixie]]'' (2005), ''[[Diary of a Mad Black Woman]]'' (2005), ''[[Idlewild (film)|Idlewild]]'' (2006), ''[[The Help (film)|The Help]]'' (2011), ''[[The Trip to Bountiful (play)#Film adaptations|The Trip to Bountiful]]'' (2014), ''[[How to Get Away with Murder]]'' (2015–2020), ''[[House of Cards (American TV series)|House of Cards]]'' (2016), ''[[Last Flag Flying]]'' (2017), and ''[[A Fall From Grace]]'' (2020)

Cicely Tyson is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an [[Academy Honorary Award]], three [[Primetime Emmy Awards]], and a [[Tony Award]]. Tyson won three Primetime Emmy Awards for her work in television winning for, ''[[The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (film)|The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman]]'' (1974), and ''[[Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (film)|Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All]]'' (1994). She won the Tony Award for [[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play|Best Actress in a Play]] her performance in ''[[The Trip to Bountiful (play)|The Trip to Bountiful]]'' in 2014. Tyson won her Honorary Academy Award in 2018 with the inscription reading, "Whose unforgettable performances and personal integrity have inspired generations of filmmakers, actors and audiences." Tyson has also received various honours for her lifetime achievement as a groundbreaking artist. In 2015, she received a [[Kennedy Center Honor]]. In 2016 she was bestowed the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] from [[President Barack Obama]]. In 2020, she received a Career Achievement [[Peabody Award]]. That same year she was inducted into the [[Television Hall of Fame]].
[[File:Cicely Tyson at The Heart Truth 2009.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Tyson in 2009]]

In 1977, Tyson was inducted into the [[Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame]]. In 1980, she received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]].<ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website= achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]] |url= https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/}}</ref> In 1982, Tyson was awarded the [[Women in Film Los Angeles|Women in Film]] [[Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards#THE CRYSTAL AWARD|Crystal Award]]. The award is given to outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.<ref>[http://wif.org/past-recipients "Past recipients"], Women in Film website. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630083646/http://www.wif.org/past-recipients |date=June 30, 2011 }}. Wif.org. Retrieved August 9, 2013.</ref> In 1988, Tyson received a [[Candace Award]] for Distinguished Service from the [[National Coalition of 100 Black Women]].<ref name="page3">{{cite web |website= NCBW.org| publisher= National Coalition of 100 Black Women |title= Candace Award in 1982–1990| page= 3| url= http://www.ncbw.org/programs/award3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030314213306/http://www.ncbw.org/programs/award3.html|archive-date=March 14, 2003}}</ref> In 1997, she received a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cicely Tyson |url=https://walkoffame.com/cicely-tyson/ | website= walkoffame.com |date=October 25, 2019 |publisher= Hollywood Chamber of Commerce |access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref>

In 2005, Tyson was honored at [[Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball]]. She was also honored by the [[Congress of Racial Equality]], the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]], and the [[National Council of Negro Women]].<ref>{{cite news |title=CICELY TYSON TO RECEIVE CRYSTAL STAIR AWARD |url=https://sugarcanemag.com/2017/10/cicely-tyson-to-receive-crystal-stair-award-mr-tom-joyner-recognized-as-man-of-the-year-during-the-national-council-of-negro-women-15th-uncommon-height-gala/ |access-date=February 1, 2021 |work=Sugarcane Magazine |date=October 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pedersen |first1=Erik |title=Cicely Tyson Dies: Pioneering 'Sounder' Oscar Nominee & 'Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman' Emmy Winner Was 96 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/01/cicely-tyson-dead-sounder-oscar-nominee-autobiography-miss-jane-pittman-emmy-winner-1234682936/ |access-date=February 1, 2021 |work=Deadline |date=January 28, 2021}}</ref> Tyson was awarded the [[NAACP]]'s 2010 [[Spingarn Medal]] for her contribution to the entertainment industry, her modeling career, and her support of civil rights.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.naacp.org/pages/spingarn-medal-winners |title= NAACP Spingarn Medal| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100707184346/http://www.naacp.org/pages/spingarn-medal-winners |archive-date=July 7, 2010 | website= NAACP.org| publisher= National Association for the Advancement of Colored People| access-date= August 9, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/naacp-names-cicely-tyson-95th-spingarn-medalist| title= NAACP Names Cicely Tyson 95th Spingarn Medalist| website= NAACP.org | publisher= National Association for the Advancement of Colored People |access-date= March 8, 2016 |url-status= dead |archive-url= http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20110717230707/http://www.naacp.org/news/entry/naacp-names-cicely-tyson-95th-spingarn-medalist|archive-date=July 17, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://politic365.com/2010/07/16/naacp-honors-cicely-tyson-with-spingarn-medal-wraps-up-convention/|title=NAACP Honors Cicely Tyson with Spingarn Medal, Wraps Up Convention |website= Politic365.com |last=Outten|first=Bridgette|access-date=March 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308165837/http://politic365.com/2010/07/16/naacp-honors-cicely-tyson-with-spingarn-medal-wraps-up-convention/|archive-date=March 8, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Tyson was a recipient of the [[Kennedy Center Honors]] in 2015.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cicely-Tyson |title= Cicely Tyson |encyclopedia=[[Britannica]].com |access-date=January 21, 2018}}</ref> She was awarded the United States' highest civilian honor, the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], by President [[Barack Obama]] in November 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/16/502347068/these-are-the-21-people-receiving-the-nations-highest-civilian-honor |title= These Are The 21 People Receiving The Nation's Highest Civilian Honor|first=Merrit|last=Kennedy|date=November 16, 2016|work=[[NPR]].org |access-date=March 16, 2017}}</ref> In September 2018, the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]] announced that Tyson would receive an [[Academy Honorary Award]].<ref name="Bahr">{{cite news| url= https://apnews.com/f9597356bdeb4b4d8a1602b4ec4ec8c6|title=Cicely Tyson, Kathleen Kennedy among film academy honorees|work=APNews.com|last=Bahr|first=Lindsay|date=September 5, 2018 |access-date=September 19, 2018}}</ref> On November 18, 2018, Tyson became the first African-American woman to receive an honorary Oscar.<ref>{{Cite news| url= https://ew.com/awards/2018/11/19/governors-awards-2018-cicely-tyson-kathleen-kennedy/|title=Cicely Tyson, Kathleen Kennedy break new ground with honorary Oscars|first=Piya |last= Sinha-Roy |date= November 19, 2018 |work= EW.com |access-date=November 19, 2018}}</ref> In 2018, Tyson was inducted into the [[American Theater Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/cicely-tyson-christine-baranski-david-henry-hwang-more-inducted-into-theater-hall-of-fame-november-12|title=Cicely Tyson, Christine Baranski, David Henry Hwang, More Inducted Into Theater Hall of Fame November 12 |first= Andrew |last= Gans |magazine= Playbill|date=November 12, 2018|access-date=December 26, 2018}}</ref> One of 12 soundstages was named after Tyson in her honor at [[Tyler Perry Studios]]. She was chosen to be inducted into the [[Television Hall of Fame|Television Academy's Hall of Fame]] in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/2c89f44162e08106798cda54831232c4|title=Cicely Tyson, Seth MacFarlane joining TV Hall of Fame|date=December 3, 2019 |website= APNews.com}}</ref>  In 2022, she was posthumously inducted into the [[Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame]] in 2022.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Nazareno|first=Mia|date=December 17, 2021|title=Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy, Jr. & More to Be Inducted at 2022 Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/smokey-robinson-black-music-entertainment-walk-of-fame-2022-1235012202/|access-date=February 17, 2022|magazine=Billboard|language=en-US}}</ref>

Tyson received honorary degrees from [[Clark Atlanta University]],<ref>{{cite web|title=7 Reasons Cicely Tyson Deserves All Our Respect|url=https://news.yahoo.com/7-reasons-cicely-tyson-deserves-023523480.html|first=Cortney|last=Willis|publisher=Yahoo News|date=January 29, 2021}}</ref> [[Columbia University]];<ref>{{cite web| date= | url= http://news.columbia.edu/oncampus/3464 |first= | last= | title= Honorary degree bestowed on Cicely Tyson| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150625160713/http://news.columbia.edu/oncampus/3464 |archive-date= June 25, 2015 |website= news.columbia.edu |publisher= Columbia University| access-date= June 3, 2015}}</ref> [[Howard University]];<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wschronicle.com/2016/05/president-obama-draws-rock-star-reactions-howard-university-commencement/ |title=President Obama draws rock-star reactions at Howard University commencement |work=The Chronicle |location=Winston-Salem, North Carolina |last=Cox |first=Timothy |date=May 19, 2016 |access-date=September 19, 2018 |archive-date=September 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094814/http://www.wschronicle.com/2016/05/president-obama-draws-rock-star-reactions-howard-university-commencement/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Morehouse College]], an all-male [[Historically black colleges and universities|historically black college]].<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.morehouse.edu/communications/releases/archives/002081.html|title=Morehouse College|website= Morehouse.edu|access-date=August 4, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171214224149/http://www.morehouse.edu/communications/releases/archives/002081.html|archive-date=December 14, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts]], a magnet school in [[East Orange, New Jersey]], was named after her in 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bondy|first=Halley|date=September 25, 2009|title=Cicely Tyson comes to East Orange to dedicate new school named for her|url=https://www.nj.com/news/local/2009/09/cicely_tyson_comes_to_east_ora.html|access-date=January 30, 2021|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{sister project links|d=Q238081|b=no|wikt=no|s=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|n=no|q=no}}
*{{IBDB name}}
*{{iobdb name|19127}}
*{{IMDb name|0001807}}
*{{Tcmdb name}}
*{{C-SPAN|25926}}
* {{Discogs artist|Cicely Tyson}}
*[https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_529-g44hm53s4p Interview titled Ms. Cicely Tyson's Fact-Finding Tour of Central Africa], 1985-11-05, [[In Black America]], [[KUT|KUT Radio]], [[American Archive of Public Broadcasting]] ([[WGBH Educational Foundation|WGBH]] and the Library of Congress)
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/221835237/cicely-tyson Cicely Tyson] at [[Find a Grave]]

{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Cicely Tyson|Awards for Cicely Tyson]]
|list =
{{Academy Honorary Award}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series}}
{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Guest Actress, Drama}}
{{DramaDesk PlayActress 2001–2025}}
{{EmmyAward MiniseriesLeadActress 1950-1975}}
{{EmmyAward MiniseriesSupportingActress 1976-2000}}
{{Kennedy Center Honorees 2010s}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series}}
{{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Actress}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress}}
{{Spingarn Medal}}
{{2020 Television Hall of Fame}}
{{TonyAward PlayLeadActress 2001–2025}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyson, Cicely}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Age controversies]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients]]
[[Category:Actresses from Manhattan]]
[[Category:African-American memoirists]]
[[Category:African-American women memoirists]]
[[Category:African-American women singers]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American memoirists]]
[[Category:American musical theatre actresses]]
[[Category:American people of Saint Kitts and Nevis descent]]
[[Category:American stage actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:American women memoirists]]
[[Category:Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York)]]
[[Category:Delta Sigma Theta members]]
[[Category:Jazz musicians from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Kennedy Center honorees]]
[[Category:Miles Davis]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:People from Harlem]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients]]
[[Category:Tony Award winners]]