Cicely Tyson, Pioneering Award-Winning Actor, Dies At 96
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) — Cicely Tyson, the groundbreaking Black actor nominated for an Oscar in 1973 for her role as the sharecropper's wife in "Sounder," died Thursday at the age of 96.
Tyson's family announced her death via her manager, Larry Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details.
"With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy," the statement said.
RELATED: Stars, Activists, Politicians Pay Tribute To 'Trailblazing Icon' Cicely Tyson
A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Besides her Oscar nomination, she won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman."
More recently, Tyson was nominated for Daytime Emmy Awards for her roles in the television shows, "How To Get Away With Murder," and "The Trip To Bountiful."
The final tweet bearing her initials was posted Jan. 27 to congratulate Amanda Gorman on her performance at the inauguration of President Joe Biden.
Tyson's memoir, "Just As I Am," was published this week.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
