Actress Cicely Tyson passed away on Jan. 28 at 96 years old. Tyson’s passing was announced by her management team, but the cause of death is still unknown.
Tyson was a well-known staple in the Black community and played parts in many breakthrough films such as: “The Help,” “The River Niger,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and the television series “Roots.”
She caught her first break in the industry when she was discovered by a photographer for Ebony magazine in 1951. She then went on to get her first televised role in “Frontiers of Faith” in 1956, the first African American to star in a drama series.
Tyson, a treasured actor in the Black community, was known for her versatility in the roles she plays. Over her career, she was in 29 films and 68 television shows. Tyson entered the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2018 for her outstanding work in the industry.
With a successful career spanning seven-decades under her belt and millions of people who adore her, it is safe to say Cicely Tyson lived a long, fulfilling life.
“I think when you begin to think of yourself as having achieved something, then there’s nothing left for you to work towards,” Tyson said. “I want to believe that there is a mountain so high that I will spend my entire life striving to reach the top of it.”
Tyson released her memoir, “Just As I Am”, on Jan. 26.
