LOS ANGELES — At the 2025 BET Awards on June 9 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Tyler Perry delivered one of the night’s most powerful moments while accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, giving a speech that honored Black history, celebrated Black women, and recognized the resilience of those continuing to build in the face of erasure.
“We cannot be erased,” Perry said.
He began with a story about walking along a beach with his son, watching their footprints disappear in the sand. He used this imagery to highlight a larger truth: the erasure of Black stories, history, and identity.
The image of vanishing footprints served as a metaphor for how historical contributions can be overlooked or forgotten. This comparison set the stage for a broader discussion on cultural memory and representation.
Tyler Perry gives nod to Greenwood during BET Awards speech
Perry invoked the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, when the city government deputized white supremacists who violently destroyed Black Wall Street, a once-thriving Black community. “They went to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and tried to burn down Blackwall Street,” Perry said. “But yes, we are still building. Still leaving footprints.”
He stressed that survival isn’t enough. Building means rising – becoming more CEOs, doctors, lawyers, building companies, and entrepreneurs. Perry noted that he has helped create more Black billionaires than any other studio and urged, “Don’t let your worry be greater than your faith.”
Tyler Perry spoke passionately about the ongoing erasure of African American history, from libraries and schools to government buildings. He described how Black people were forcibly taken from their homelands, their footprints carried across the ocean to America.
“They are removing our books from libraries, they are removing our stories and our history, they are removing our names from government buildings. It’s as if someone wants to erase our footprints,” he said.
Building a legacy
In addition, Perry’s projects—like building Tyler Perry Studios on land once used by the Confederate Army—reflect a shift in how certain places and stories are being used and remembered. His success offers an example that Black achievements can be lasting and meaningful. They show the continued effort, strength, and creativity of those working toward progress.
Finally, he also gave credit to the strong Black women who have supported him, introducing Ledisi’s powerful performance of “BLKWMN” —a visual tribute he directed honoring black women. During the BET Awards, Tyler Perry’s message was clear: This is not the time to be silent or to give up. If you have a dream and you’re struggling-keep walking, keep building, keep leaving footprints.
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