NEW YORK — People wishing to pay their final respects to legendary actor Cicely Tyson will get a chance during a public viewing at a famed Manhattan church.
The viewing for the actor, who died last week at age 96, will be held on Monday, Feb. 15, at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, according to a statement by her family through her manager Larry Thompson.
The viewing will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and COVID-19 protocols will be in place, with masks and social distancing requirements. No photographs will be allowed, according to the statement.
Tyson's passing brought out a flood of accolades for the pioneer, who won two Emmys for playing the 110-year-old former slave in the 1974 television drama “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” A younger generation of moviegoers saw her in the 2011 movie, “The Help.”
Tyson’s death was announced by her family, via Thompson, who did not immediately provide additional details.
“With heavy heart, the family of Miss Cicely Tyson announces her peaceful transition this afternoon. At this time, please allow the family their privacy,” according to a statement issued through Thompson on Jan. 28.
A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Tyson refused to take parts simply for the paycheck, remaining choosy.
“I’m very selective as I’ve been my whole career about what I do. Unfortunately, I’m not the kind of person who works only for money. It has to have some real substance for me to do it,” she told The Associated Press in 2013.
Last week, tributes from two former presidents and from across the worlds of Hollywood and Broadway poured in, with many praising her careful approach to her career and activism. “She took pride in knowing that whenever her face was on camera, she would be playing a character who was a human being — flawed but resilient; perfect not despite but because of their imperfections,” wrote former President Barack Obama, who awarded Tyson the Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Former President Bill Clinton wrote online that Tyson “brought complex characters to life with dignity and heart, and humanity and depth, always remaining true to herself.” “She used her career to illuminate the humanity in Black people. The roles she played reflected her values,” wrote Oprah Winfrey.
Tyson’s memoir, “Just As I Am,” was published recently.
In 2018, she was given an honorary Oscar statuette at the annual Governors Awards. “I come from lowly status. I grew up in an area that was called the slums at the time,” Tyson said. “I still cannot imagine that I have met with presidents, kings, queens. How did I get here? I marvel at it.”
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