Caribbean Mishael Morgan becomes first Black actress to win U.S daytime Emmy award

The Caribbean Camera Inc.- Actress Mishael Morgan made history at the 49th annual Daytime Emmy Award ceremony, and she wants women worldwide to feel inspired. The Young and The Restless star had a historic night as she became the first Black actress to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama.

Morgan won the major award for her portrayal of Amanda Sinclair on the iconic, long-running CBS soap opera. In response to the historic feat, Morgan was met with a standing ovation, after which the shocked actress gave a speech documenting her journey to the Emmys and how proud she was of her “glass-ceiling-breaking” generation for striving for equality on all fronts.

“I am so immensely proud of our generation. We are breaking glass ceilings left, right and center,” she said. “I am so honored to be a vessel and to experience this moment, and it’s because of everybody who’s out there today proving to the world that we can and we will do this thing called equality and unity together.”

Morgan was born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, on July 15, 1986. When Morgan was 5 years old, her parents migrated to New York, then relocated to Toronto, settling in Mississauga. She graduated from York University in political science and later began her career on television.

“I was born on a tiny island in the Caribbean, and I’m now standing on an international stage,” she affectionately expressed as she pondered her beginnings. “I am being honored regardless of the color of my skin, regardless of my passport, for being the best at what I do.”

She spoke of her pride in being from Trinidad and Tobago, and her regular visits home when she was younger, relishing the tasty T&T cuisine. Of late the visits don’t occur nearly as often as she still recalls being injured in a road accident that could have ended dreams of a career. She was 19 and hasn’t completely overcome her unease.

The actress went on to relay that she hopes women worldwide look at her story and feel that they, too, can achieve the unachievable.

“Now there are little girls around the world, and no matter what the industry, the vocation … they can strive to be the best.”

The 35-year-old actress beat out fellow actresses Marci Miller (Days of Our Lives), Arianne Zucker (Days of Our Lives), Cynthia Watros (General Hospital)

Mishael Morgan is married to Navid Ali from Brampton, Ontario. They have two children. The family lives in Los Angeles, California, and maintains a home in Toronto.