At the Emmy’s in Los Angeles last night, Viola Davis made history, becoming the first black woman to take home the Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role award. The How to Get Away With Murder actor, whose mother was a civil rights activist, quoted 19th century humanitarian and abolitionist Harriet Tubman at the start of her powerful and emotive acceptance speech.
“‘In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. But I can’t seem to get there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line’ – that was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s,” Davis told the audience. “And let me tell you something — the only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there,” she added.
Her win comes along with an unprecedented celebration of diverse talent at the Emmys, with Orange Is The New Black’s Uzo Aduba taking Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Regina King claiming the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series award for American Crime, and Peter Dinklage accepting the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.