Viola Davis won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her lead role as Annalise Keating on “How to Get Away with Murder” at the 67th annual ceremony Sunday night.
“In my dreams, I see a line,” she said, quoting Harriet Tubman. “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 seem to get over that line.”
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” Davis continued, calling out to Taraji P. Henson and Kerry Washington, who were tearing up in the audience. “You can not win an Emmy for roles that simply are not there.”
In addition to Henson, Davis beat out white women Robin Wright (“House of Cards”), Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”), Claire Danes (“Homeland”) and Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”) for the award.
Here are a bunch of amazing WOC rolling around in her win on Twitter:
“To be a woman…to be BLACK!” I AM DONE TONIGHT. Viola has me on the floor. #Emmys
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) September 21, 2015
VIOLA omg HISTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so excited for you baby!!!!
— octavia spencer (@octaviaspencer) September 21, 2015
Viola shouting out many of the black women working today. FANTASTIC.
— roxane gay (@rgay) September 21, 2015
OMG!!! I’m floored… and proud and crying… VIOLA VIOLA VIOLA!!! Thank you for letting us share your shine!!! Man… tears
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) September 21, 2015
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