Viola Davis turned her Emmy Award acceptance speech into one of the most powerful moments of the night.
Beating out stars like Elisabeth Moss and Claire Danes, Davis took the stage to pick up her trophy for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama for her work in "How to Get Away with Murder." The win makes her the first black woman to ever take home the award.
Clearly emotional, the actress started her speech with a quote from Harriet Tubman.
"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. I can't seem to get over that line," she began.
Davis the launched into a passionate speech thanking everyone who has helped pave the way for black women in the entertainment industry.
"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she continued. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."
She went on thank people like show-runner Shonda Rhimes, "people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black. To the Taraji P. Hensons, the Carrie Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goods, to Gabrielle Union, thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you for the television academy."
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