Viola Davis becomes first black woman to win top Emmy gong

“No black woman has been deemed worthy of the Best Actress in a Drama Series Award since then”.

And the “How To Get Away With Murder” star’s acceptance speech was inspirational, to say the least.

Accepting her award, she said: “The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity”.

I can’t seem to get over that line.

The 67th annual primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 20, and after a freakish Les Miserables send-up from host Andy Samberg and Will Forte, a slew of Tony winners and Broadway alums celebrated wins for their TV triumphs.

In her acceptance speech, Davis quoted Harriet Tubman. Fully half of the six Emmys handed out to actresses went to women of color, a first for the show.

“[Thank you] to people who redefined what it means to be attractive to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black”, she said. During her speech Sunday night, Davis mentioned fellow nominee Taraji P. Henson along with Halle Berry, Kerry Washington, Meagan Good and several others. Also during the ceremony, King took home a statuette for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie, and Aduba garnered the award for best supporting actress in a drama series.

“My biggest fear is that a paparazzi or someone…is going to come in my backyard and see me when I get in my pool”. Whether she is in character or speaking for herself, Davis continues to be a voice for African American women in and out of Hollywood.

She told ET Online: “I feel both excited and proud that one of us could be first, but mixed emotions about it being 2015 and we’re [still] talking about it”.

Jeffrey Tambor, for instance, won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series award for his role as a father transitioning from male to female on “Transparent“.