Cicely Tyson

In 1972 she and singer-actress Diana Ross were both nominated for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" Oscars for their performances in Lady Sings the Blues and Sounder respectively. This was only the second time in the history of the Academy Awards that African American actresses were nominated in the "Best Actress" Oscar category. The first was Dorothy Dandridge's nomination for Carmen Jones .

In 1972 she and singer-actress Diana Ross were both nominated for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" Oscars for their performances in Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and Sounder (1972), respectively. This was only the second time in the history of the Academy Awards that African-American actresses were nominated in the "Best Actress" Oscar category. The first was Dorothy Dandridge's nomination for Carmen Jones (1954).

Is the first-African American Actress to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie for her performance in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) (TV).

She was the Thursday night host for CBS Radio's "Sears Mystery Theater" . She was still Thursday's host when it became "The Mutual Radio Theater" on Mutual Radio .

She was the Thursday night host for CBS Radio's "Sears Mystery Theater" (1979). She was still Thursday's host when it became "The Mutual Radio Theater" on Mutual Radio (1980).

Tyson won a judgment entitling her to full payment ($750,000) for her appearance in the short-lived 1983 Broadway play "The Corn Is Green," An Appeals Court upheld an earlier ruling handed down in 1996 in favor of Tyson. She was under contract to producer 'Elizabeth Taylor' (I) to act in stage and screen versions of the classic play. After critics panned the play, Tyson was fired for taking a night off to attend a tribute to her then-husband, the late jazz musician Miles Davis. The play closed after less than two weeks. Tyson maintained she should be paid as negotiated in her contract, even though the show closed early and a planned TV video of the production was never made.