Cicely Tyson was a brilliant star of stage and screen whose dignified demeanor leant itself to roles with real gravitas over a career spanning more than 70 years. Think you know what made Cicely so noteworthy? Then take the quiz!
Cicely was born on December 19, 1924, in ________.
a. Harlem, New York
b. Bridgetown, Barbados
c. Detroit, MI
d. San Juan, Puerto Rico
Cicely’s breakout role was in this 1972 film, a performance that got her nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
a. The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
b. Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
c. Diary of a Mad Black Woman
d. Sounder
Cicely received the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor in the United States—from this U.S. president.
a. President Clinton
b. President George W. Bush
c. President Obama
d. President Trump
When Cicely died in January 2021 at age 96, she was only one award short of an EGOT. Which one didn’t she win?
a. Emmy
b. Grammy
c. Oscar
d. Tony
Complete the following Cicely quote: “I was determined to do all I could to alter the narrative about Black people—to change the way ______ in particular were perceived, by reflecting our dignity.”
a. Black women
b. women
c. feminists
d. mothers
Answer Key: 1.a, 2.d, 3.c, 4.b, 5.a
By Emily Rems
Photo: Ron Jaffe/CBS
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2021 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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