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The hashtag #BlackGirlMagic is perfection, and be clear, it’s never going away. From Issa Rae and Ava DuVernay sprinkling their magic all over Hollywood, to Rihanna and Beyoncé reigning supreme in music industry to the Black women in Alabama who elected Democrat Doug Jones over Roy Moore in a special election , Black women are not only a force to be reckoned with— they are the true backbone of the world.
And now there’s even more to celebrate. Oprah Winfrey, a pillar in the land of Black magic, will be honored with the 2018 Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards. Lady O will be the first African-American woman to receive the coveted award.
What exactly is the Cecil B. DeMille Award? Glad you asked.
Each year, the recipient of the prestigious award is selected by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) board of directors. The rules state that this must be someone who has made “an incredible impact on the world of entertainment.” In a statement, HFPA president Meher Tatna said Winfrey embodies the spirit of this honor, as she has “celebrated strong female characters on and off screen, and has been a role model for women and young girls for decades.”
Tatna went on to say, “As a global media leader, philanthropist, producer, and actress, she has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world, making her one of the most respected and admired figures today. Holding titles such as chairman, CEO, and founder, Oprah is one of the most influential women of our time, and this honor is well deserved especially in this 75th anniversary year of the Golden Globe Awards.”
We can’t say that we disagree.
She is perhaps most widely known as the host of her national award-winning talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which came to an end in 2011. Or if you really want to go back to one of my favorite movies ever, The Color Purple, where she played the unforgettable role of Sofia (and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1986). Or maybe you want to really take us back to our childhoods, when we watched her on The Women Of Brewster Place in 1989. Or we can fast forward to the present, where she is the founder of O, The Oprah Magazine, and oversees Harpo Films. She also holds the title CEO of her own cable network, OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. There, she serves an executive producer on series such as Greenleaf, Queen Sugar, and Oprah’s Master Class. This year, she executive produced and starred in the Emmy-nominated HBO original movie The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Next year she will appear in A Wrinkle in Time, directed by Ava DuVernay.
Morgan Freeman, recipient of the award in 2012, announced Winfrey’s honoree status during the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s (HFPA) “Golden Globe 75th Anniversary Special,” which aired on NBC.
In addition to Freeman, Oprah will join the company of amazing heavy-hitters like Denzel Washington, George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Sidney Poitier, Sophia Loren, and Steven Spielberg. Oprah is only the fourth Black person to be honored.
The 75th Annual Golden Globes will be hosted by Seth Meyers on January 7, 2018, at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.
