© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Big Night For Rhode Island At 2015 Emmys

Viola Davis won the Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series; the first woman of color to do so.
Elisabeth Harrison
/
RIPR
Viola Davis won the Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series; the first woman of color to do so.

Rhode Island’s Viola Davis made history last night, as the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for best actress in a TV drama. In a rousing speech, Davis quoted 19th century abolitionist Harriet Tubman, then spoke to the barriers women of color continue to face today.

Viola Davis won the Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series; the first woman of color to do so.
Credit Elisabeth Harrison / RIPR
/
RIPR
Viola Davis won the Emmy for outstanding actress in a drama series; the first woman of color to do so.

“And let me tell you something, the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” said Davis.

Davis won for her role as a troubled lawyer in ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder. Davis grew up in Central Falls, and attended Rhode Island College, before enrolling in the Juilliard theater school.

Rhode Islander Richard Jenkins also took home an Emmy for his work in the HBO miniseries Olive Kittridge. Jenkins began his professional theater career at Trinity Rep in Providence. He and his wife continue to work closely with the theater.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? Please email us, we'd like to hear from you. news@ripr.org

Copyright 2015 The Public's Radio

John Bender is RIPR's Morning Edition Producer; he researches stories, interviews newsmakers and writes scripts for the morning news. He also does additional reporting throughout the day for general reporting and special projects.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.