In a career spanning more than seven decades, Cicely became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. She often turned down stereotypical role of black women characters in her movies and opted to roles of strong African American women.
Born in 1924, in Harlem, New York; she played minor characters in various films and Tv shows until her breakthrough performance as Rebecca Morgan in Sounder (1972) which earned her critical acclaim and got her a nomination for best actress at the Golden globes and the Academy awards. However, Cecily's real breakthrough came two years later in 1974 when she took home two emmy awards for her role in the TV film; The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.
In addition to her screen career, Tyson appeared in various theater productions. She received a Drama Desk Award in 1962 for her Off-Broadway performance in Moon on a Rainbow Shawl.
]She also starred as Carrie Watts in the Broadway play The Trip to Bountiful, winning the Tony Award, the Outer Critics Award, and the Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2013.Tyson was named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2015 and in November 2016, Tyson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the highest civilian honor in the United States. She was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame last year.
For many black women in America, Ms. Tyson is an idol for the Black is beautiful movement. Since the 60s she had inspired Black American women to embrace their own standards of beauty; including helping to popularize the Afro.Her face graced the covers of Ebony, Essence and Jet magazines; often covered in African turbans and caftan - a raw representation of black women around the world."She's our Meryl Streep, Vanessa Williams told Essence in 2013. "She was the person you wanted to be like in terms of an actress, in terms of the roles she got and how serious she took her craft. She still is", Vanessa added.
At age 18, Tyson married Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942. According to her divorce decree; her husband abandoned her after less than eighteen months of marriage. The marriage was formally dissolved in 1956.
She was later married to actor Billy Dee Williams from 57' to 66'. From 1981 to 1989, she was married to the jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis. However, their marriage was problematic owing to Davis' volatile temper and infidelity. Tyson filed for divorce in 1988 and it was finalised in 1989; two years before Davis died.
Miles Davis had a relationship with Tyson for nearly two decades[/caption]Although there are rumours that she did not have kids of her own; according to her memoir, Tyson had a daughter when she was 17.
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