Mar 07, 2017 06:05 AM EST By Eleanor Bright, UniversityHerald Reporter

Viola Davis received the "Artist of the Year Award" from the Harvard Foundation on March 4. The conferment of the award was done during the Cultural Rhythms Festival of Harvard. Just a week before, the 51 year old actress received an Oscar as best supporting actress in the movie "Fences".

During her acceptance speech, Viola Davis shared to the audience her views about acting. This multi-awarded actress considered the screen or the stage as a sacred place. In this place, she showed the audience the story of the character that she portrayed. She wanted these characters to be seen and recognized through her acting. Through her portrayal, she wanted to bring change to her audience , according to The Telegraph.

Viola Davis won her best supporting actress Oscar award for her role in the movie "Fences". The movie was based on a play of the same title in 2010 where she played the same role. She won the Tony Award that year.

In "Fences", Viola Davis played the role of Rose, the wife of a man whose unrealized dream made him bitter in life. Ms. Davis was praised for the way she cried. When she did it, the audience could really feel her pain and empathize with her.

The "Artist of the Year Award" is given to persons for their distinguished accomplishment. Viola Davis was recognized for having bee recipient of three major awards in acting. She won the Tony Award in 2010, The Emmy Awards in 2015, The Golden Globe Award and the Oscar as best supporting actress in "Fences" in 2017. This qualified her for the "Artist of the Year Award" from the Harvard Foundation, according to CBC News.

Aside from Viola Davis, other recipients of the "Artist of the Year Award" included singer Quincy Jones, actor and director Andy Garcia and actor, producer and screen writer Matt Damon.

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