For the occasion of its half-centennial, cultural critic and poet Hanif Abdurraqib takes the measure of Stevie Wonder s unmatchable artistic achivements in the early-to-mid 70s.
The Untold Truth Of Cicely Tyson Kris Connor/Getty Images
Cicely Tyson came to fame in the 70s for the films
Roots and
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. She is labeled an icon for having a career that spanned six decades and a reputation for being refined, elegant, fashionable, and bringing a depth to her characters never seen before. What is striking about her life is that she seemed to always be on a path bigger than her career. She didn t set out to be an actor, but when she became one, she chose parts based on their merit and was never afraid to turn down a role she did not think portrayed women with dignity.
During a press conference for
Sounder, a white journalist had told her the movie made him aware of his own prejudice because, he said, he was surprised to hear African-American children call their father Daddy, just like his kids called him. He could not equate the fact that this man was on the same level as he, Tyson said. And really, I admired him for standing up in an audience and saying that, and I thought to myself, Cicely, you really can t afford the luxury of just being an actress.
Cicely Tyson was born in Harlem. Her parents were from the Caribbean. Her father was a carpenter and a painter; her mother was a housekeeper who was deeply religious. In 2005, Tyson told NPR that their lives revolved around the church.
In a career that spanned more than six decades, she commanded attention on the screen and the stage and was known for roles that reflected her experience as an African American woman.