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.
