Mishael Morgan celebrated a historic win at the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards on June 24.

The Young & the Restless actress won for best outstanding lead performance in a daytime drama – earning herself a standing ovation as she accepted her award. This makes her the first Black actress to win an Emmy in the lead acting category. Regardless of how excellent her work is in the long-running CBS soap opera, this marked a milestone for all Black women in the acting world. Mishael

opened up about her upbringing during her moving acceptance speech.

“I was born on a tiny island in the Caribbean, and I’m now standing on an international stage, and I am being honored regardless of the color of my skin, regardless of my passport, for being the best at what I do,” she expressed, “Now there are little girls around the world and no matter what the industry, the vocation … they can strive to be the best.” 

The first Black actress to win the Daytime Emmy Award continued, “I need to thank the fans and everybody sitting at home. They embraced me when I came on this show, and I am so immensely proud of our generation. We are breaking glass ceilings left, right and center, and I am so honored to be a vessel and to experience this moment. Everybody out there today, we can do this thing called equality and unity together.”

Her moment was celebrated in an almost bittersweet fashion. In March, Mishael shared that her husband’s brother and his entire nuclear family passed away in a house fire in Ontario, Canada.

At the time, she tweeted, “On Monday morning, my husband’s only brother perished with his wife & 3 kids in a tragic house fire. I am still in absolute disbelief. My sister-in-law set up a fund. Please pray for my family & donate if you are able.”