by Ariele Vaccaro
Viola Davis
On Monday, Viola Davis cemented her name in history when she won the Emmy for best actress in a dramatic series for her role in How to Get Away With Murder.
She was the first African American to walk away with the award, and found it a win for all Black women.
After accepting the Emmy, she gave a moving speech addressing the lack of opportunity many Black actresses struggle against while finding their niche in theatre.
“The only thing that separates women of color and anyone else is opportunity,” said Davis.
She pointed out that Black women are given few chances to show their theatrical prowess because Hollywood does not produce many roles for Black women.
“You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” Davis said.
She thanked a number of other Black, female actresses that she found to have paved the way and helped Black women “cross that line.”
Kerry Washington, one of the women Davis mentioned, applauded Davis with teary eyes, then later tweeted that Davis’ was the “best speech of the night.”
On Wednesday, Variety magazine released a cover story on Davis and her win.
According to a Sept. 21 report by WKBW Buffalo, the 2015 Emmy’s saw the most African American winners in the past 24 years.
Other Black actresses that went home, gold in hand, included Orange is the New Black’s Uzo Aduba and American Crime’s Regina King.