Affirm Black Women Portrait Series: Cicely Tyson

“Nobody would bother to beat you down if you were not a threat.” - Cicely Tyson (2019, Watercolor and ink on paper, 8.75” x 12”, by Lydia Makepeace)

“Nobody would bother to beat you down if you were not a threat.” - Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson is an American actress and model. In a career spanning 60 decades she has portrayed strong Black women in award winning roles. Notable roles in movies and television include Sounder, Roots, Fried Green Tomatoes, The Help, and How to Get Away with Murder. In 2016 she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.

View the complete Affirm Black Women portrait series here