Editorial: A Queen of Beauty and Elegance Miss Cicely Tyson
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Women’s History Month is about celebrating and acknowledging strong women from all walks of life who have done great things in their lifetime. So, I thought now is a good time as any to shine the spotlight on the late African American model and actress Cicely Tyson.
You would know her from some of her iconic roles that include The Help, Roots (the miniseries), and quite a few Tyler Perry movies. She is even an honorary member of the established national organization Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Cicely Tyson was born on December 19, 192 in New York City. She grew up in Harlem, NY being the daughter of immigrants from the Caribbean island of Nevis. She was raised in a relatively religiously devoted household. She was raised in the church, she played the organ and the piano and even sang in the choir. Growing up she said her entire social life was in and about church; it was the basis of her foundation
When she was 18-years-old and began entering the modeling realm, she was discovered by a fashion editor at Ebony Magazine. She was then kicked out of her childhood home because her mother felt that Tyson was choosing a sinful path.
They would not speak for the next two years. Her mother then changed her mind when she saw her daughter performing on stage. Tyson’s career would go on to span more than seven decades; only depicting roles she saw that served a purpose.
A few firsts of Tyson’s career include being the first African American star of a TV drama. She played the role of Jane Foster in the series called East Side/ West Side. She was also the first black woman to receive an honorary Oscar.
Throughout her career she would act in movies, tv, and on broadway. In the 60’s during the Civil Right movement she found herself in New York working alongside her friends Maya Angeloua and James Earl Jones and other black artists that formed alliances.
Other iconic roles that Tyson has starred in include The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, the Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, and Sounder; which pushed her to look for roles that she could use to reflect her experience as an African American woman.
What makes this woman such a stand-out is the fact that she wasn’t just another actress or model trying to make a name for herself. She refused to do Blaxploitation films or films that displayed less positive images of African Americans. She also never took a part just for a paycheck.
She knew her worth and used the power in her voice to make her career a platform to make a statement.
Tyson paved the way for the generation of black actresses that came after her. Memorable quotes come from Tika Sumpter who said, “Thank you for kicking down doors for girls like me”,
Viola Davis who said Tyson made her feel, “valued in a world where there is still a cloak of invisibility for us dark chocolate girls”, Zendaya who said, “Tyson was the greatest to ever do it” and Kerry Washington who said that “Tyson was a foretaste of glory”.
When I look at Tyson and her career, I see a woman that has taught young black women or anyone for that matter that it’s okay to say no to things that don’t fit within your moral compass. At the end of the day, it’s important when it comes to you and your work that you stay true to yourself.
I can’t forget about knowing that at the age of 88 after already accomplishing so much, she still was looking for one more big role to play. This led her to playing Mrs. Carrie Watts in Trip to Bountiful which played on Broadway with an all black cast. This role landed her a Tony award.
At the end of Tyson’s 96 years of living, she received numerous awards and honors. Her lasting legacy will never be forgotten. Miss Cicely Tyson was a true pioneer and her job on this earth was amazingly done.
*All biographical information came from sites:Biography.com, Britannica.com, NPR and APNews*