S. Epatha Merkerson

Merkerson was born Sharon Epatha Merkerson in Saginaw, Michigan, and raised in Detroit. She is the youngest of five children raised by her mother Ann who worked for the post office. ==Career==

In 1978, she moved to New York City, where she obtained her Master of Fine Arts from New York University part time. In 2012, Merkerson became the host of Find Our Missing, a reality-reenactment series on TV One which profiles missing people of color. She performed in Steven Spielberg's 2012 film Lincoln as Lydia Hamilton Smith, housekeeper to Tommy Lee Jones's character, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. In 2014, Merkerson appeared in the Primary Stages production of While I Yet Live, written by Billy Porter. In 2015, she joined the cast of NBC medical drama Chicago Med as Sharon Goodwin, Chief of Patient and Medical Services. The series was conceived and written by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, along with Matt Olmstead, Derek Haas and Michael Brandt. In 2014, Merkerson became a spokesperson for Merck America's Diabetes Challenge, to increase Type 2 diabetes awareness among African Americans. ==Personal life==

Merkerson appeared on the television series of Henry Louis Gates' Finding Your Roots on February 5, 2019 (Season 5, Episode 5), in which she revealed that she was a descendant of Isaac Hawkins and eight others of the 272 enslaved people who were sold in the 1838 Jesuit slave sale by Jesuit priests. These priests owned plantations on which the enslaved people tilled tobacco; proceeds from the sale were used to pay off the debts of the Jesuit-operated Georgetown College (now Georgetown University). ==Filmography==

Film Television ==Awards and nominations==

;Awards • 1992 Obie Award Outstanding Performance (''I'm Not Stupid'') • 1999 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Lead Actress-Resident Play (The Old Settler) • 2002 Regulus Award For her dedication to lung cancer awareness and education • 2005 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 SunDeis Film Festival at Brandeis University Entertainer of the Year Award • 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 PRISM Award Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Obie Award Outstanding Performance (Birdie Blue) • 2006 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2006 NAACP Image Award Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Gracie Allen Award Outstanding Female Lead – Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Black Reel Award Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie or Miniseries (Lackawanna Blues) • 2010 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2011 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2017 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, University of Pittsburgh • 2013 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Montclair State University • 2012 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, University of Maryland Eastern Shore • 2009 Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Wayne State University ; Nominations • 1990 Helen Hayes Award Best Actress, Non-Resident Play (The Piano Lesson) • 1990 Drama Desk Award Best Actress, Lead Role-Play (The Piano Lesson) • 1990 Tony Nomination Best Actress, Featured Role-Play (The Piano Lesson) • 1997 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 1999 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2001 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2003 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Actress (Fucking A) • 2003 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance (Fucking A) • 2005 Satellite Award Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Vision Award Best Dramatic Performance (ackawanna Blues) • 2006 Lucille Lortel Award Best Actress (Birdie Blue) • 2006 Independent Spirit Nomination Best Female Lead (Lackawanna Blues) • 2006 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance (Birdie Blue) • 2007 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2008 NAACP Image Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Law & Order) • 2008 NAACP Image Award Nomination Best Actress in a Made for TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special (Girl, Positive) • 2008 Tony Award Nomination Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (Come Back, Little Sheba) • 2008 NAACP Theatre Award Best Lead Female – Equity (Come Back, Little Sheba) == Notes ==