CECILY TYSON DIES AGED 96

photo coutesy

Cicely Tyson, an Iconic award-winning actress and trailblazer, has died at age 96. 

The world mourns yet another Icon who brought tears, happiness laughter and lessons to our living room through her acting career spanning over Seventy Years. She is best known for her role in the 1972 family drama Sounder, for which she received an Academy Award nomination, She later went on to solidify her name as a Hollywood legend after earning three Emmy Awards, a SAG award, a Tony Award and an honorary Oscar.

      Cecily Tyson in 1973 wikipedia photo

So who is Cecily Tyson? Tyson was born in Harlem on December 19, 1924, to Mrs Fredericka (Huggins) Tyson, a domestic worker, and Mr. William Augustine Tyson, who worked as a carpenter, painter, and at any other jobs he could find. She was one of three children of the immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies.

 At age 18, Tyson got married to Kenneth Franklin on December 27, 1942. They formerly dissolved their Marriage in 1956. She later married Jazz Trumpter Miles Davis in 1981 in Atlanta in the house of actor Bill Cosby. Davis and Tyson started dating in the 1960s as he was in the process of divorcing Frances Davis. He even used a photo of Tyson for his 1967 album, Sorcerer. This however did not happen as he married Frances in 1968. They rekindled their love later in 1978 n got married in 1981. The marriage was tamultous because of Davis' Temper, infidelity and addiction and she later filed for divorce in 1988. It was finalized in 1989. Davis Died in 1991.

  Cecily Tyson image on the cover of  th album 'The sorcerer' by Miles Davis

Cecily Tyson had a daughter at the age of 17. Not much is known about her daughter, but she talks about her, she calls her “Joan,” in her memoir. The memoir was released on 26th january 2021 two days before she died.

Tyson started her career as a fashion model when a photographer from Ebony Magazine discovered her. Her first acting role was on the NBC series Frontiers of Faith in 1951. She played her first film role in Carib Gold in 1956 and became the first African American to star in a television drama when she starred in the celebrated series East Side/West Side (1963–1964). She also had a role in the soap opera The Guiding Light.

  Cecily with her two emmy awards. Picture    Courtesy

Her mother did not support her acting carreer in the begining and kicked her out of their house. She moved in with her friend who agreed to put her up. She would later changed her mother's mind In 1972, when she played the role of Rebecca Morgan in the critically acclaimed film Sounder. This was the first time she heard her mum say she was proud of her. During an interview with elle she said, her mom was her mentor and her source of energy, and she used that to prove her wrong. 

Tyson's portrayal of the title role in the 1974 television film 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman' won her further praise among other accolades. The role won her two Emmy Awards and a nomination for a BAFTA Award for the best lead actress. She never looked back and her career blossomed.

Ambassador Andrew Young, left, speaks with actress Cicely Tyson and the Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. on the set of the miniseries “King” in 1977. Ms. Tyson played Coretta Scott King, the wife of the slain civil rights leader. (AP)

Tyson's other roles included playing binta in the mini series "Roots" (1977), "The Marva Collins Story" (1981), "The Women of Brewster Place" (1989), and "The Help" (2011). She was also a guest star in the series "How to get away with murder. 

Other notable film roles include the dramas Hoodlum (1997) and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), and the television films 'Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All' (1994) (for which she received her third Emmy Award). She went on to star in so many film and Televison series the latest being a fall from grace featured on Netflix in 2020. 

 Cover page of Cecily Tyson's Memoir

Tyson released her Memoir 'Just As I AM' on 26th january 2021 just before she passed on. She dedicates this book to her daughter whom she seems to have not had a rosy relationship with. USA Today wrote; Tyson said, "My daughter and I ‘continue to work on our relationship, as fragile as it is precious," and she dedicates the book to her: ‘the one who has paid the greatest price for this gift to all.’”

"Just As I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. In these pages, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by His hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say.” -Cicely Tyson

Her proudest moment in life was In 2016, when she Took home the Presidential Medal of Freedom. While awarding Tyson the honor, President Barack Obama said, “In her long and extraordinary career, Cicely Tyson has not only exceeded as an actor, she has shaped the course of history.”

   Actress Cicely Tyson receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2016.

JOE GROMELSKI/STARS AND STRIPES

Celebrating a life well lived. Rest in peace. Cecily Tyson

The Snake

It was now ten minutes past midnight and Stanley had not picked up my call. I had been calling him since four o'clock in the afternoon and he had not picked any of my calls. I was geting worried because that was unlike him. 

Stanley and I had been dating for two years now. We met in a local gym where we had hit it off after a series of no replies from me and we never looked back since. He was a tall, dark, well built guy, with the body of a wrestler. His voice was soft but deep in a soothing way and he had a charming smile. All the ladies in the gym always wanted a piece of him except for this short light skinned lady, me. This challenged him and he tried really hard to know what my deal was.

 After several attempts of getting me on a date I said yes just to get him of my back. I was to go on a single date with him but my plan bounced. shock was on me. This was the key to several dates and nights of passion. 

On this day, things were not going on right. Every Friday was date night and we would watch movies at my place since we had not moved in together. I had left seven missed calls on his mobile phone and he had not called back. I started to worry. Some of his friends whom I had contacted assured me that he was fine and they were in contact earlier in the day. So what was the problem?

As I sat on my couch worrying, I drifted to sleep. The lights were still on and the TV was still running at a low volume when I got woken up by my phone vibrating on my chest. I looked at my watch and it was four oclock in the morning. Why was Bradley calling ?

Bradley and Stanley had presumably been friends for ten years now and they claimed to be so close but I never believed them because Bradley was still hitting on me even though he knew about us. This was a red sign and I would later come to understand this. 

Bradley sounded excited on the other side of the call. And He was in a noisy place. He was still at a night club but found the urge to wake me up.

"What is so pressing that you have to wake me up in the middle of the night? I can hear you are still partying the night out." I blurted. He was calm in his reply I assumed he did not read my tone. 

"I hear you have been looking for Stanley since yesterday. Am shocked that you never called me." Despite them being close, I intentionally didn't call him because I was sure he would definitely tell a lie about his wearabouts even if it did not require him to do so. All the same, I had established that Stan was fine so I didnt feel the urge. "Anyway I know where stan is I can even take you there now. And yes he has been avoiding your calls."

This stung me more than a malaria jab and my heart probably missed two or three beats. What did he mean? Was Stan cheating on me? I didnt know how to react to this information. I kept quiet for a few seconds and was sturtled by the voice of Brad calling me over the phone. "You just freshen up am sending a cab your way in fifteen minutes." I didnt know what got over me but in ten minutes I was ready. My phone rang. It was the cab driver and I left. 

Nairobi is very cold in the wee hours of the morning. The wind was blowing hard and the cab windows had become all misty. I rubbed off a section of the misty windows and I stared into the dark as the Cab drove towards town.

Brad was waiting at the entrance of Braid Lounge. Music was still blasting out of the club. It was a few minutes to 6am but the club was still full. He came over and paid the cab driver and walked towards me and gave me a hug. His breath smelt minty  with a mixture of alcohol. I guess he was trying to sober up but clearly he was a little tipsy. 

Before we got into the club he told me not to cause a scene. He didn't want to piss off his friend. I agreed and we got in. He took me to a table overlooking the exit and told me to wait. I ordered a bottle of water. As I opened my bottle of water, I saw Stan staggering out of the club with a woman in his arms. They both looked tipsy. I was so furiated I clenched my fist so hard crushing my bottle of water and spilling it on me. That was the least of my problems. Why did this man disrespect me this much?

I got up to go and confront him but Brad popped in front of me." You promised me you wouldn't make a scene." "Its Ok, at least lemme see where they are going!" 

I walked out of the club tears rolling down my eyes. I still did not believe what I had seen. As I stepped out, I saw Stan's car pass buy, in the passenger's seat was the lady seated smiling with one leg on the dashboard. I had lost my Stan.