cicely tyson
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Negro Noir: A Fall From Grace and the Curious Case of Wigs, (Diner) Wine and Wayward Filmmaking
Movies that are “so bad, they’re good” are one of life’s unsung treasures. And like anything, adding blackness to that principle is like adding proper seasoning. Thus, I introduce you to our new series reviewing/recapping bad black movies, Negro Noir. As our queen-in-chief Danielle Belton pointed out, it’s so black, the title of the series…
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Saying Farewell to an Icon: Cicely Tyson, Lenny Kravitz, Angela Bassett and More Honor the Life of Diahann Carroll
How does one say farewell to an icon? On Sunday, the best in black excellence gathered to bid Diahann Carroll adieu. It was a cold and dreary day in New York City, but there was a buzz in the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway. There were plenty of hugs and handshakes in the crowd—even a…
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Phenomenal Women: Generations of Black Beauty Grace February and March Magazine Covers
We all know “black don’t crack,” but this season we’re seeing that in action on a variety of pre-spring magazine covers that celebrate the varied and ageless glory of black beauty. From 94-year-old Cicely Tyson on the Ava DuVernay-edited Time “Art of Optimism” issue, to Indya Moore on one of five Teen Vogue Young Hollywood…
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One Moment in Time: Only Once Have 2 Black Women Been Nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in the Same Year
Picture it: 1973, at the 45th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, attended by the most celebrated filmmakers, actors and creators in the world. Two cherished living queens in black history, Diana Ross and Cicely Tyson, sat in the audience awaiting the result as Raquel Welch and Gene Hackman rattled off the Best Actress nominees that year.…
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The Biggest Winners of 2018
As we reach this final day of the year in 2018, The Root takes our annual look back at the people, organizations and movements that captured our attention over the past year. From a Bronx rapper who was unapologetically herself to a former first lady who wrote candidly about her experience in the White House…
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Ailey, Ascending: Alvin Ailey’s Company Celebrates 60 Years of Dance with a New Work Honoring Its Founder
How do you celebrate six decades of groundbreaking dance? If you’re the legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, you stage a yearlong anniversary celebration titled “Ailey Ascending,” with a star-studded gala and new ballet as its centerpiece. Launching its five-week holiday season in New York City on Wednesday, Nov. 28, the company, founded by choreographer…
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The Coronation of Our Queen Cicely Tyson at the 2018 Governors Awards
Last night, I had the privilege to attend the 2018 Governors Awards in Hollywood, Calif., and saw Cicely Tyson receive her honorary Oscar. She is the first black woman to ever win the honor. In a career that has spanned nearly 70 years, the 93-year-old actress has starred with some of the best and the…
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At 93, Cicely Tyson Gets Her 1st Oscar—and Danai Gurira Gets Mistaken for Viola Davis?
It was an honor more than 45 years in the making, but Cicely Tyson finally took home an Oscar on Sunday night at the 10th annual Governors Awards in Hollywood, Ca. Voted on by the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Governors Awards were created to grant honorary…
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Cicely Tyson Will Be the 1st Black Woman Awarded an Honorary Oscar—But She's Always Been 1st to Us [Updated]
As Cicely Tyson clearly demonstrated during Aretha Franklin’s funeral, she can elevate any moment. But of course, we knew that already. At 93, Tyson has been chosen to receive an honorary Oscar this fall by the the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She’ll be the first black woman…
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Capture the Crown: Who Designed Cicely Tyson's Famous Hat for Aretha Franklin's Funeral?
At five feet, three inches, 93-year-old acting legend Cicely Tyson may be a petite woman, but her presence has always been larger than life—as was the hat she wore to pay tribute to friend Aretha Franklin last Friday. The ruffled and wide-brimmed black straw picture hat was instantly iconic, turning heads among viewers both at…