This is a 3-part assignment for African American studies. The subject for the research assignment is Cicely Tyson and her contribution to the civil rights movement. The assignment must include MLA in-

A uth ors :

S ourc e:

D ocu m en t T yp e:

S ubje ct T erm s:

A bstr a ct:

F ull T ext W ord C ount:

A ccessio n N um ber:

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Record: 1

C ic e ly T yso n.

B arn es, J o yce A .

Sale m P re ss B io gra phic a l E ncyclo pedia , 2 020. 2 p.

B io gra phy

T yso n, C ic e ly , 1 933-

A fr ic a n A m eric a n m odels

A fr ic a n A m eric a n a ctr e sse s

A ctr e ss. C ic e ly L . T yso n w as b orn in H arle m , N ew Y ork , to a fa m ily s tr u gglin g fo r e co nom ic s u rv iv a l.

H er p are nts , W illia m a nd T heodosia T ys o n, h ad im mig ra te d to th e U nit e d S ta te s fr o m N evis , a s m all

C arib bean is la nd. W illia m w as a c a rp en te r a nd s o ld fr u it fr o m a p ush ca rt. T heodosia w ork e d a s a

d om estic s e rv a nt. T yso n, th e y o ungest o f th re e s ib lin gs, s o ld s h o ppin g b ags o n th e s tr e ets . E ve n s o ,

th e fa m ily n eeded g ove rn m ent a ssis ta nce to k e e p fo od o n th e ta ble a nd a r o of o ve r th eir h eads.

T hey m ove d fr e quently fr o m o ne H arle m te nem en t to a noth er, a nd T yso n’s p are nts ’ d iv o rc e

in tr o duce d m ore in sta bilit y in to h er c h ild hood. T yso n fo und s o la ce in th e c h u rc h , a lt h ough s h e

re se nte d th e r e str ic tio ns p la ce d o n h er b y h er d eeply r e lig io us m oth er. S he w as n ot a llo w ed to

s o cia liz e o uts id e c h urc h o r d ate u ntil s h e w as s e ve n te en. T yso n, C ic e ly [c ]F ash io n T yso n, C ic e ly

[ c ]F ilm : A ctin g T yso n, C ic e ly

1 356

89409292

R ese arc h S ta rte rs

C ic ely T yso n

Actr e ss

Born: D ece m ber 1 9, 1 933

Birthplace: H arle m , N ew Y ork

A cto r a n d a ctiv is t

T yso n is a n a w ard -w in nin g a cto r a nd a dvo ca te fo r e duca tio nal, c iv ic , a nd h um an it a ria n c a use s. H er c o m mit m ent to p ortr a yin g p osit iv e

A fr ic a n A m eric a n c h ara cte rs r e su lt e d in m an y m em ora ble p erfo rm an ce s.

A re as o f a ch ie vem en t: F ash io n; F ilm : a ctin g; S ocia l is su es

E arly L if e

C ic e ly L . T yso n w as b orn in H arle m , N ew Y ork , to a fa m ily s tr u gglin g fo r e co n om ic s u rv iv a l. H er p are nts , W illia m a nd T heodosia T yso n, h ad

im mig ra te d to th e U nit e d S ta te s fr o m N evis , a s m all C arib bean is la nd. W illia m w as a c a rp ente r a nd s o ld fr u it fr o m a p ush ca rt. T heodosia

w ork e d a s a d om estic s e rv a nt. T yso n, th e y o u ngest o f th re e s ib lin gs, s o ld s h o ppin g b ags o n th e s tr e ets . E ve n s o , th e fa m ily n eeded

gove rn m ent a ssis ta nce to k e ep fo od o n th e ta ble a nd a r o of o ve r th eir h eads. T hey m ove d fr e quently fr o m o ne H arle m te nem ent to

a noth er, a nd T yso n’s p are nts ’ d iv o rc e in tr o duce d m ore in sta bilit y in to h er c h ild hood. T yso n fo und s o la ce in th e c h urc h , a lt h ough s h e

re se nte d th e r e str ic tio ns p la ce d o n h er b y h er d eeply r e lig io us m oth er. S he w as n ot a llo w ed to s o cia liz e o uts id e c h urc h o r d ate u ntil s h e

w as s e ve nte en. Backstage at The Heart Truth's

Red Dress Collection Fashion

Show during New York Fashion

Week. February 13, 2009 at

Bryant Park. By The Heart Truth

[Public domain], via Wikimedia

Commons

Cicely Tyson at the 2012 Time

100 gala. By David Shankbone

(Own work) [CC BY 3.0

(http://creativecommons.org/licens

via Wikimedia Commons

Tyso n g re w u p r e stle ss a nd c u rio us, a nd s h e fo und w ays to b re ak th ro ugh h er p hysic a l a nd e m otio nal b oundarie s. W hile in h ig h s ch ool,

s h e w ould r id e th e b us a cro ss th e c it y a nd c o n te m pla te a b ette r fu tu re . W ork in g a s a ty p is t fo r th e R ed C ro ss a fte r g ra duatio n, s h e d ecla re d

th at s h e w ould n ot s p end h er lif e “ b angin g o n a ty p e w rit e r.” A lt h ough s h e w as u nsu re o f w hat s h e w ante d to d o, T yso n fe lt d estin ed fo r a lif e

m ore s ig nif ic a nt th an th e o ne s h e w as liv in g.

T he o pportu nit y fo r th at d if fe re nt lif e c a m e w hen T yso n m od ele d in a h air s h o w . H er s tr ik in g fe atu re s, h ig h c h eekb ones, s m all fr a m e, a nd

ebony s kin d re w n otic e , a nd s h e w as e nco u ra ged to p urs u e fa sh io n m od elin g. S he b eca m e o ne o f th e to p te n A fr ic a n A m eric a n m odels in

t h e c o untr y . H ow eve r, s h e g re w tir e d o f b ein g s e e n s im ply a s a p re tty fa ce in d esig ner c lo th es. E nco ura ged b y F re da D eK nig ht, a n e dit o r a t

E bony , T yso n a udit io ned fo r a r o le in a n in dep endent film , C arib e G old . T he film w as n eve r c o m ple te d, b ut th e e xp e rie nce in tr o duce d h er to

t h e th rill o f a ctin g. D esp it e h er m oth er’s s tr o ng o bje ctio ns, T yso n e nro lle d in c la sse s a t th e A cto rs S tu dio . S he h ad to le ave h om e, b ut s h e

began m akin g m oney a nd d ra w in g p ra is e a s a n a cto r.

L if e ’s W ork

T yso n g arn ere d fa vo ra ble r e vie w s fo r h er fir s t s ta ge r o le in D ark o f th e M oon ( 1 958–59), b ut it w as in J e an G enet’s T he B la cks ( 1 961) th at

T yso n b eca m e a n atio nally r e co gniz e d a rtis t. H er c o m ed ic p erfo rm an ce a s a p ro stit u te n am ed V ir tu e e arn ed T yso n h er fir s t D ra m a D esk

A w ard . In h er fir s t m ajo r film r o le , in C ars o n M cC ulle rs ’s T he H eart Is a L onely H unte r ( 1 968), a nd o n te le vis io n, T yso n w ore h e r h air in a s h o rt A fr o .

S he d re w c rit ic is m fr o m s o m e, b la ck a nd w hit e , fo r h er “ n atu ra l” h air a nd d ark s kin a nd fo r n ot c o nfo rm in g to th e im age o f a m id dle -c la ss

A fr ic a n A m eric a n w om an. O th ers , h ow eve r, c o n sid ere d h er lo oks r e vo lu tio nary ; s h e w as th e e m bodim ent o f th e B la ck Is B eautif u l

m ove m ent . In 1 963, s h e b eca m e th e fir s t fe m ale A fr ic a n A m eric a n a cto r to a ppear r e gula rly in a d ra m atic s e rie s, in th e a ccla im ed E ast

S id e, W est S id e . M ore te le vis io n a ppeara nce s in p ro gra m s a s d iv e rs e a s th e W este rn G unsm oke a nd th e s o ap o pera T he G uid in g L ig ht

fo llo w ed. H er film r o le s, h ow eve r, w ere fe w d urin g th e 1 960s a nd 1 970s b eca u se s h e r e fu se d to p la y th e h yp ers e xu al c h ara cte rs o f th e

bla xp lo it a tio n e ra . T yso n in sis te d o n r o le s th at c a st b la ck w om en in a p osit iv e lig ht, a nd h er c a re er is d is tin guis h ed b y h er p ortr a ya ls o f

m ult id im ensio nal c h ara cte rs w ho d o n ot fit in to a ny p opula r s te re oty p e .

O ne o f T yso n’s m ost n ota ble film r o le s w as in S ounder ( 1 972) a s a d efia nt, s m art, a nd d eeply lo vin g w om an . R evie w ers h aile d th e

ch ara cte r, R ebecca M org an, a s th e fir s t b la ck h ero in e o f film . T yso n r e ce iv e d a n O sca r n om in atio n a s B est A ctr e ss. In 1 974, s h e w on m ore

p la udit s fo r h er s ta rrin g r o le in th e te le vis io n film The A uto bio gra phy o f M is s J a ne P it tm an a s a fic tio nal 1 10-y e ar-o ld w om an w hose lif e

e nco m passe s s la ve ry a nd th e C iv il R ig hts e ra . O th er fe m ale h ero in e r o le s fo llo w ed: T yso n p la ye d K unta K in te ’s m oth er B in ta in th e h is to ric

t e le vis io n m in is e rie s R oots ( 1 977); C ore tta S co tt K in g in K in g ( 1 978); H arrie t T ubm an in A W om an C alle d M ose s ( 1 978), fo r w hic h s h e w as

als o a p ro duce r; a nd e duca to r M arv a C ollin s in T he M arv a C ollin s S to ry ( 1 981). H avin g e sta blis h ed h ers e lf a s a d ra m atic a cto r, T yso n a ls o

tr iu m phed in c o m edic r o le s, s u ch a s B ustin ’ L oose w it h R ic h ard P ry o r ( 1 981), a nd in th re e film s b y w rit e r-p ro duce r-a cto r T yle r P erry : D ia ry

o f a M ad B la ck W om an ( 2 005), M adea’s F am ily R eunio n ( 2 006), a nd W hy D id I G et M arrie d T oo? ( 2 010). T he fo llo w in g y e ar s h e a ppeare d

as th e c h ara cte r C onsta ntin e B ate s in th e film a dapta tio n o f K ath ery n S to cke tt's T he H elp fo r w hic h s h e w as n om in ate d fo r s e ve ra l

e nse m ble a w ard s. S he a ppeare d a s N ana M am a in A le x C ro ss a nd a s M am ma K ay in th e 2 013 film The H auntin g in C onnectic u t 2 : G hosts

o f G eorg ia .

W it h h undre ds o f p erfo rm ance s to h er c re dit , T yso n a ls o is r e co g niz e d a s a n e nerg etic a dvo ca te fo r e duca tio n, w om en’s r ig hts , a nd h um an

rig hts . W ell in to h er s ix tie s a nd s e ve ntie s, s h e tr a ve le d to s ch ools a nd c o lle ges a cro ss th e c o untr y to e duca te s tu dents a bout h is to ry a nd

ra ce . S he s e rv e d a s a w orld a m bassa do r fo r U nit e d N atio ns C hild re n’s F und ( U NIC EF) a nd a n a dvo ca te fo r S ave th e C hild re n, a nd in

2 005, s h e tr a ve le d to P huke t, T haila nd, to h elp r e build s ch ools a fte r th e d eva sta tio n o f th e 2 004 In dia n O ce an ts u nam i. A v e geta ria n w ho

obse rv e s a s tr ic t r e gim en o f d ie t a nd e xe rc is e , s h e a ls o h as le ctu re d a bout h ealt h is su es.

T yso n h as r e ce iv e d o ne T ony A w ard , tw o E m my A w ard s, n um ero us Im ag e A w ard s fr o m th e N atio nal A sso cia tio n fo r th e A dva nce m ent o f

C olo re d P eople ( N AAC P), a nd m any h ono ra ry d egre es. In 2 015 s h e r e ce iv e d a K ennedy C ente r H onor fo r h er c o ntr ib utio ns to A m eric a n

cu lt u re . S he is th e n am esa ke o f th e C ic e ly L . T yso n C om munit y S ch o ol fo r th e P erfo rm in g a nd F in e A rts , in E ast O ra nge, N ew J e rs e y. T he

sch ool p ro vid es p re kin derg arte n th ro ugh h ig h s ch ool e duca tio n fo r fu tu re w rit e rs , m usic ia ns, d ance rs , a nd a cto rs .

S ig nif ic an ce

O ve r h er s ix -d eca de c a re er, T yso n h as m ad e h undre ds o f a ppeara nce s o n film , o n te le vis io n, a nd o n s ta ge. S he a ls o h as c o ntr ib ute d to

h um anit a ria n e ffo rts w orld w id e. W hile s h e s u ffe re d s e tb acks in h er p ers o n al lif e , in clu din g a b rie f m arria ge to ja zz g re at M ile s D avis , T yso n

w on a ccla im fo r h er in sis te nce o n p ortr a yin g p osit iv e im ag es o f A fr ic a n A m eric a n w om en.

B ib lio gra p hy

B ogle , D onald . B ro w n S ugar: O ve r O ne H undre d Y ears o f A m eric a ’s B la ck F em ale S upers ta rs . N ew Y ork : C ontin uum , 2 007. P rin t.

" C ic e ly T yso n L ooks B ack a t A ctin g C are e r, L if e ." C BS N ew s . C BS In te ra ctiv e , 1 6 D ec. 2 015. W eb. 3 1 M ar. 2 016.

H orn aday, A nn. " C ic e ly T yso n: A P io neer S tr e tc h e s H er A ctin g M uscle s in a N ew C are er C hapte r." W ash in gto n P ost . W ash in gto n P ost, 5

D ec. 2 015. W eb. 3 1 M ar. 2 016.

M app, E dw ard . “ 1 972 C ic e ly T yso n.” In A fr ic a n A m eric a ns a nd th e O sca r: S eve n D eca d es o f S tr u ggle a nd A ch ie ve m en t . L anham :

Sca re cro w , 2 003. P rin t.

M ate o, L is a . " C ic e ly T yso n S ch ool o f P erfo rm in g a nd F in e A rts T urn s S tu dents in to S ta rs ." P IX 11 . W PIX , 1 5 M ar. 2 016. W eb. 3 1 M ar.

2 016.

S anders , C harle s L . “ C ic e ly T yso n: S he C an S m ile A gain A fte r a T hre e-Y ear O rd eal. ” E bony 3 4.3 ( J a n. 1 979): 2 7–36. P rin t.

C opyrig ht o f S ale m P re ss B io gra p hic al E ncyclo ped ia is th e p ro perty o f S ale m P re ss. T he c o pyrig ht in a n in div id ual a rtic le m ay b e

m ain ta in ed b y th e a uth or in c e rta in c a se s. C onte nt m ay n ot b e c o pie d o r e m aile d to m ult ip le s it e s o r p oste d to a lis ts e rv w it h out th e

co pyrig ht h old er's e xp re ss w rit te n p erm is sio n. H ow eve r, u se rs m ay p rin t, d ow nlo ad, o r e m ail a rtic le s fo r in div id ual u se .

S ourc e: S ale m P re ss B io gra phic a l E ncyclo pedia , 2 020, 2 p

It e m : 8 9409292