Credit: Kai Byrd Photography

Viola Davis & Julius Tennon were the ICON Honorees at our inaugural Black Love Honors Brunch in 2022. Their love, dedication, and impact have blessed “Black Love Doc,” Black Love Inc, and the world. In celebration of this day, Viola and Julius spoke with about what Black love means to them, keeping God at the center of their marriage, and much more.

Yasmine Jameelah: Viola, during your “Black Love Doc” interview, you said that when you met Julius, your entire life got better. How do you feel now? 

Viola Davis: It’s (life) still getting better and better. When loves comes into your life it needs to get better, and if it’s not getting better, you’re with the wrong person. And it’s not like every single day there’s no obstacles or challenges, but you want someone who’s going to fight with you, for you, and for the two of you — that’s my Julius. 

Julius Tennon: I love Viola so much. She’s a great woman. We have challenges like any other couple – we fight, doors get slammed, but we never disparage one another, and we never let the sun go down on our anger, so we don’t carry our troubles from today into tomorrow. 

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Credit: James Anthony

Yasmine Jameelah: At the start of Black Love Weekend, Black Love set the intention that “Black love is” so many things — community, entrepreneurship, family, etc. Can the two of you finish that sentence, what is Black love for you? 

Julius Tennon: Black love is enduring because ever since we’ve met, it’s just felt like we’ve continued to grow. We’ve been together for 23 years, and every year we just get better. All these years, it’s still fun, and it doesn’t get boring with God in the center of our marriage. We know where our blessings come from, and we have been blessed from day one to now and still going strong. 

Viola Davis: Black love is passionate; it’s fire; just like Julius said, it’s one of those embers, a fire that really never goes out. And there’s enough to spread. To have the experience of loving a Black man, and to have him understand you as a Black woman. To understand your hair. Understand what society throws at you time and time again. Understand that we historically come from a place where no one has our backs and to also understand historically what’s been placed on them, and not add to that. It’s so much. It’s passionate; it’s fire, it’s a flame that can never go out because it has to encompass a lot. 

View Viola and Julius’ acceptance speech below: