Viola Davis made history during Sunday’s 67th annual Emmy Awards, becoming the first black actress to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for her role as Annalise Keating on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder.
“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,” Davis said, quoting Harriet Tubman in her acceptance speech. “Let me tell you something: the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”
