-December 19, 1933 Cicely Tyson, stage, film, and television actress, was born in Harlem, New York. Tyson was discovered by a photographer for Ebony magazine and became a popular fashion model.
-Her first film role was in “Carib Gold” (1957) and other films include “A Man Called Adam” (1966), “The Comedians” (1967), “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (2005), and “Why Did I Get Married Too?” (2010). In 1961, Tyson appeared in the original cast of “The Blacks,” the longest running Off-Broadway non-musical of the decade.
-In 1972, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Sounder.” In 1974, she won the Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Drama and Actress of the Year – Special for “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman.”
-Other television appearances include “Roots” (1977), “King” (1978), “The Marva Collins Story” (1981), and “The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All” (1994), for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.
-The Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts in East Orange, New Jersey is named in her honor and she plays an active role in supporting the school.
-Tyson received the 2010 Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. Tyson Continues to perform on television and in film.
