'How to get away with murder' star Viola Davis creates history at 2015 Emmy Awards, becomes first black woman to win best actress in a drama

Viola Davis created history at Sunday night's Emmy Awards 2015 by becoming the first black woman to win Outstanding Actress in a Drama award for her role as the conflicted professor, Annalise Keating, in drama series, “How to Get Away With Murder.”

Two other black women--Regina King and Uzo Aduba, also took home the Emmys for their work in “American Crime” and “Orange Is the New Black.” Davis delivered a powerful acceptance speech, where she a quoted African-American humanitarian Harriet Tubman.

"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," said Davis, who will be playing Tubman in an upcoming HBO movie. “You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."

She also thanked all the writers including Ben Sherwood, Paul Lee, Peter Nowalk and Shonda Rhimes, who “redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black.”

When the award was announced, her contender and friend Taraji P. Henson, who too was nominated for the same award for her work in “Empire,” gave her a tight hug. Davis did not hesitate to thank Henson in her speech.

“And to the Taraji P. Hensons and Kerry Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goodes, to Gabrielle Union. Thank you for taking us over that line,” said the actress.

Backstage, Davis told Denver Post that her story does not end here. The actress believes that "there is a difference when it comes to actors of color in this business. If it's been 67 years since an actress of color has won an Emmy then there is certainly a line."

See the video of her acceptance speech below:

Source: YouTube.com/Sports Highlights 2

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