Cicely Tyson (born December 19, 1933) is an award-winning African-American actress. Her parents came from the island of Nevis, but Cicely was born and raised in Harlem, New York City. She was discovered by a photographer for Ebony magazine, and became a popular fashion model. Her first film was an uncredited role in Carib Gold in 1957, but she went on to do television - the celebrated series East Side/West Side and the soap opera Guiding Light.
In 1967, she appeared in The Comedians, and the following year, had a featured role in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. In 1972, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Sounder.
In 1974 she won two Emmy Awards for The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, and became a star. Other acclaimed television roles included Roots, King, in which she played Coretta Scott King, The Marva Collins Story, When No One Would Listen and Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (for which she won another Emmy).
Tyson co-founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
