Oprah Becomes First Black Woman to Receive Cecil B. DeMille Award

By Hazel Cills  |  January 8, 2018 | 4:10am
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Despite the black gowns and the surprisingly few speeches that recognized sexual assault in Hollywood, the 75th Golden Globes felt like it could have been happening any other year. That was until Oprah Winfrey stepped up to accept the Golden Globe’s Cecil B. DeMille Award, the first black woman to do so, and gave a speech that almost blew the roof off the entire building.

“What I know for sure, is speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have,” she said, stressing that harassment and assault happened not only in Hollywood, but across industries. “And I am especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and powerful enough to speak up and share their personal stories.”

But it was when Oprah mentioned the late Recy Taylor, the black woman from Alabama whose 1944 gang rape at the hands of six white men became the subject of intense activism by a young Rosa Parks, that the speech took on a larger historical relevance. “The men who tried to destroy her were never persecuted,” she said. “She lived as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men.”

“I want all the girls here now to know that a new day is on the horizon!” she proclaimed. “And when that new day finally dawns it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say me too, again.”

And no offense to any of the winners later in the show, but we honestly should have just ended the ceremony right there.

 
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