Award-winning star and legend in the black film industry, Cicely Tyson has passed on at the age of 96.
She is the pioneer for Black actresses in Hollywood, having run her career for over 40 years in the same industry.
She died on Thursday 28 January due to old age, her manager Larry Thompson confirmed.
This, after two days before on 26 January, she released her memior, Just As I Am.
“I have managed Miss Tyson’s career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing.
Cicely thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree,” said Thompson as he confirmed the sad news to Eonline.
Cicely made history as a Black actress in the entertainment industry way before many.
She was nominated for the Leading Actress in a Drama Series Emmy in 1995 for NBC’s Sweet Justice, and later took nearly two decades for another Black actress to be nominated in that category.
Her last offering was when she made guest appearances on Viola Davis’ How To Get Away With Murder. She got five Emmy nominations for these appearances.
Tributes have started to pour in for the star as big names in the industry and world at large grieve the loss.
“In her extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson was one of the rare award-winning actors whose work on the screen was surpassed only by what she was able to accomplish off of it. She had a heart unlike any other—and for 96 years, she left a mark on the world that few will ever match,” Barack Obama said in a tweet.
In her extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson was one of the rare award-winning actors whose work on the screen was surpassed only by what she was able to accomplish off of it. She had a heart unlike any other—and for 96 years, she left a mark on the world that few will ever match. pic.twitter.com/JRsL3zlKtP
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 29, 2021
https://twitter.com/TheJessieWoo/status/1354967919319511041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1354967919319511041%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiharare.com%2Flegendary-hollywood-actress-cicely-tyson-dies-at-96%2F
Cicely Tyson, one of the greats, has passed. May angels sing her to her rest.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) January 29, 2021
A true legend!! Rest in power Cicely Tyson 🙏🏿❤️ pic.twitter.com/YvzBEjPNUO
— Rihanna (@rihanna) January 29, 2021
