Cicely Tyson, the stage, screen and television actress whose vivid portrayals of strong African-American women shattered racial stereotypes in the dramatic arts of the 1970s, propelling her to stardom and fame as an exemplar for civil rights, died on Thursday. She was 96.
Her death was announced by her longtime manager, Larry Thompson, who provided no other details.
In a remarkable career of seven decades, Ms. Tyson broke ground for serious Black actors by refusing to take parts that demeaned Black people. She urged Black colleagues to do the same, and often went without work. She was critical of films and television programs that cast Black characters as criminal, servile or immoral, and insisted that African-Americans, even if poor or downtrodden, should be portrayed with dignity.
Cicely Tyson, an Actress Who Shattered Stereotypes, Dies at 96
In a remarkable career of many decades, she refused to take parts that demeaned Black people and won a Tony, Emmys and an honorary Oscar.
Cicely Tyson in London in 1973. She was critical of films and television programs that cast Black characters as criminal, servile or immoral.Credit.Dennis Oulds/Central Press, via Getty Images
Published Jan. 28, 2021Updated Feb. 15, 2021
Cicely Tyson, the stage, screen and television actress whose vivid portrayals of strong African-American women shattered racial stereotypes in the dramatic arts of the 1970s, propelling her to stardom and fame as an exemplar for civil rights, died on Thursday. She was 96.
Cicely Tyson, iconic award-winning actress, has died at 96 By Peter Martinez
January 29, 2021 / 6:47 AM / CBS News
Cicely Tyson, the award-winning actress who trailblazed a career across several decades and appeared in countless TV shows, films and Broadway plays, died Thursday at age 96, according to her manager. Tyson s role as a sharecropper s wife in the film Sounder landed her an Oscar nomination in 1973. With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon, Tyson s family said in a statement from her manager. At this time, please allow the family their privacy.
Tyson, who first entered the spotlight as a model, was well-known across the entertainment industry, earning two Emmy Awards best lead actress in a drama and best actress in a special for her role as a former slave in the 1974 TV drama The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. In a defining moment of the film, Pittman walks up and drink