Viola Davis’ story is one of resilience, strength, and triumph. The only surviving image of her childhood is a kindergarten photo — a haunting reminder of the young girl who, even at that early age, understood what it meant to go without.
Viola Davis, 59, is a true powerhouse of our time. When you think of exceptional acting, her name is undoubtedly at the forefront. I always thought she was a beautiful person inside and out, but after learning about her tragic past, she deserves everything and more.
A childhood marked by hardship
Viola Davis was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina. Nearly 59 years ago, she entered the world in a small, one-room shack on her grandmother’s farm — a piece of land that had once been part of a plantation.
Her early years were shaped by poverty and hardship.
Her mother worked as a maid and was a dedicated activist during the Civil Rights Movement. At just two years old, Davis was taken to jail alongside her mother after she was arrested during a protest for civil rights.
When her family relocated to Central Falls, Rhode Island, they hoped for a better life — but poverty and discrimination followed them.
In a town that stretched just 1.29 square miles, Davis grew up in a place where, despite the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the illegality of Jim Crow laws, racism still thrived.
“People wouldn’t drink out of the same water faucet after us,” Davis recalled. “There was a lot of name-calling and expletives.”
Viola was the second youngest of six siblings. The two eldest remained behind in South Carolina and were raised by their grandparents for several years.
In Central Falls, Viola’s new home was a condemned building with no working plumbing, no heat, and a constant battle against rats. Her family relied on food stamps that often ran out before the month was over, and hunger was a constant companion.
”Let me tell you something about poverty: You’re invisible. Nobody sees the poor. You have access to nothing. You’re no one’s demographic,” Viola once shared.
Caught stealing food
For Davis and her siblings, school lunches were often their only reliable meals. She made friends with kids whose moms always had three meals on the table and would hang out at their houses whenever she got the chance.
At just nine years old, Davis was caught stealing food from a store, an incident that would haunt her for years.
”The store owner screamed at me to get out, looking at me like I was nothing,” she later recalled.
At the age of 9, Viola Davis experienced what she describes as a profound awakening. She recalls a particularly painful moment when the fighting between her parents became so intense that she couldn’t hold back her cries.
”I started screaming at the top of my lungs, and I couldn’t stop,” she remembers. Her older sister, Dianne, urged her to get inside to avoid drawing attention, but the anguish inside her continued.
She ran into the house, into the bathroom, and collapsed to the floor, still screaming. It was a desperate moment, and with all her young heart, she cried out, “God! If you exist, if you love me, you’ll take me away from this life! Now I’m going to count to 10, and when I open my eyes, I want to be gone! You hear me?!” She prayed with such raw belief, counting each number slowly: “One, two, three…” When she reached ten and opened her eyes, nothing had changed — she was still there.
But as she reflects, God didn’t take her away. Instead, He allowed her to stay. “He left me right there so when I gained vision, strength, and forgiveness, I could remember,” she says. She recalls that moment, the hunger, the trauma, the poverty, and the despair that came with them. “I could remember what it means to be a child who dreams and sees no physical manifestation of it. I could remember because I lived it. I was there.”
Thought she was going to be a maid
Growing up in poverty, Davis felt like she was on a path that had already been set for her. She and her siblings often went to school in clothes that were unwashed and worn.
She recalls: ”I knew I was going to be a maid because my mother was a maid and my grandmother was a house slave.’”
Davis’s own mother had been a maid in the South. “It’s true of every black woman and grandmother of that time,” Davis said. “That’s what we did. That was the occupation open to us.
But when it came to her future career, Viola would be wrong – and it was school that saved her.
She excelled academically, but it was in extracurricular activities that she found her true escape. She and her siblings rarely missed school, immersing themselves in sports, drama, and music as outlets from the hardships they faced.
Her passion for performing began early. At age seven, Davis and her sisters entered a local talent show, writing their own skits and creating costumes. She joined the Upward Bound program, which prepares students from low-income families for college, and later earned a scholarship to Rhode Island College, majoring in theater.
Went to a prestigious school
Davis’ raw talent did not go unnoticed. One of her professors famously remarked that she was ”a talent that doesn’t come down the pike very often.” After college, she auditioned for Juilliard — one of the world’s most prestigious performing arts schools — and secured one of only 14 spots out of 2,500 applicants.
To give an idea of the kind of talent that’s passed through its doors, you’ll find names like Robin Williams, Christopher Reeve, Aretha Franklin, Val Kilmer, Miles Davis, Kelsey Grammer, and Kelly McGillis.
Going to Julliard marked a crucial turning point in her life, and she was on her way to achieving her dreams.
Davis’ time at the school honed her craft, and soon after, she began making waves in the theater world. At 29, she received her first Tony Award nomination for her role in August Wilson’s Seven Guitars. She recalls that opening night as a defining moment. ”My mom and dad were in the audience, and my dad cried. I thought, ‘I’ve arrived. This is it.’”
Breakthrough in Hollywood
Hollywood soon took notice, and Davis transitioned to film and television, where she delivered memorable performances that resonated deeply with audiences. Her first Oscar nomination came in 2008 for Doubt, and in 2011, she received another nomination for her portrayal in The Help.
In 2015, she made history by becoming the first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in How to Get Away with Murder. Two years later, Davis won an Oscar for her role in Fences (2016), cementing her place as one of the most respected actresses of her generation.
She is one of only three African-American actresses, alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Angela Bassett, to be nominated for an Academy Award in both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories.
Throughout her career, Davis has also used her platform to advocate for social change, particularly in the fight against childhood hunger and poverty.
Given her own background, it was only natural for her to get involved in these issues.
Through her work with the Hunger Is campaign, she helped raise over $4.5 million to provide meals for children in need. ”This is the richest country in the world,” she remarked. ”There’s no reason kids should be going to school hungry.”
Felt a complete absence of love
In her memoir Finding Me, Davis opens up about the trauma of her early years, describing how she carried the shame of her childhood experiences with her for many years.
”What I felt was a complete absence of love,” she writes, recalling how she longed for the love and stability that so many others take for granted.
Davis recalls that her father, a horse-groomer, struggled with alcoholism, infidelity, and was frequently abusive toward her mother and their six children.
Davis’ efforts to combat hunger and poverty have made a significant impact in her hometown of Central Falls. She has become a beacon of hope and a reminder of the importance of sharing one’s story and advocating for those who have been forgotten.
Viola Davis husband
Today, Davis has achieved not only professional success but also the personal life she once dreamed of.
She is married to actor and producer Julius Tennon. In 2011, they adopted their daughter, Genesis.
In 2020, on her 55th birthday, Davis made a full-circle move by purchasing the South Carolina house where she was born, sharing a photo of it on Instagram.
””The above is the house where I was born… Today on my 55th year of life… I own it… all of it.”
Reflecting on her journey, Davis has spoken about healing the little girl she once was — the one who dreamed of something better. ”That’s the little girl who follows me all the time,” she told People. ”I always feel like I have to go back and heal her.”
From a childhood of unimaginable hardship to a life filled with love, stability, and gratitude, Viola Davis’ journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of never giving up.
Today, she remains not only an inspiration to those who share her struggles but also a voice for change and empowerment. Share this story if you want to pay tribute to this legendary actress and woman!
