Images: Emmy Awards
LOS ANGELES — Long-standing barriers fell at Sunday's Emmy Awards as Viola Davis became the first non-white actress to claim top drama series acting honors, Jon Hamm finally won for “Mad Men,” and “Game of Thrones” overcame voters' anti-fantasy resistance to claim the most trophies ever in a season.
An emotional Davis, who won for her portrayal of a ruthless lawyer in “How to Get Away With Murder,” invoked the words and spirit of 19th-century African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
“I can't seem to get over that line,” she quoted Tubman as saying.
“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” Davis added. “You cannot win Emmys with roles that are simply not there.”
“Empire” star Tariji P. Henson, another black nominee in the category, stood and applauded Davis' win. Other African-American actresses who prevailed Sunday were Uzo Aduba and Regina King, who won for supporting performances.
“Mad Men” star Hamm claimed the best drama actor Emmy that eluded him seven times before. He bypassed the steps to the Emmy stage, scrambling onto it on his stomach.
“There has been a terrible mistake, clearly,” said Hamm, who played troubled ad man Don Draper in the series that ended its run without adding another best-drama trophy to its haul of four previous wins.
It lost to “Game of Thrones,” which became only the second so-called “genre” series, after sci-fi drama “Lost,” to win. The blood-soaked fantasy saga won a combined 12 Emmys on Sunday and at the previous creative arts awards, eclipsing the nine-awards record set by “The West Wing” in 2000.
Viola Davis accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "How to Get Away With Murder"at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Taraji P. Henson, right, and Terrence Howard present the award for outstanding writing for a limited series, movie or a dramatic special to Jane Anderson, left, for "Olive Kitteridge" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Taraji P. Henson, left, embraces Viola Davis before Davis walks on stage to accept the award for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for "How to Get Away With Murder" from Adrien Brody at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Jon Hamm accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Mad Men" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Ben McKenzie, left, and Jaimie Alexander appear on stage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Amy Schumer accepts the award for outstanding variety sketch series for "Inside Amy Schumer" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday. Jane Lynch and Eric Stonestreet look on from left.
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Amy Schumer accepts the award for outstanding variety sketch series for "Inside Amy Schumer" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for "Veep" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Allison Janney accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for "Mom" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Jon Stewart gives Chuck O'Neil a high five at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Regina King, winner of the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for "American Crime," poses in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2015, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Francis McDormand, center left, Gary Goetzman and the cast of "Olive Kitteridge" accept the award for outstanding limited series for "Olive Kitteridge" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Jon Hamm rolls on to stage to accept the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Mad Men" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Amy Schumer and the cast and crew, winners of the award for outstanding variety comedy sketch series for "Inside Amy Schumer", pose in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Jon Stewart and the cast and crew, winners of the award for outstanding variety talk series for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", pose in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jon Stewart and the cast and crew, winners of the award for outstanding variety talk series for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," pose in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Tina Fey presents the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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D.B. Weiss, left, and David Benioff accept the award for outstanding drama series for "Game Of Thrones" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Regina King at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Mark Burnett, left, and Carson Daly pose backstage with the award for outstanding reality competition program for "The Voice" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Mindy Kaling poses backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jamie Lee Curtis, left, and Marcia Gay Harden pose backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Tracy Morgan presents the award for outstanding drama series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Armando Iannucci, center, and the cast and crew of "Veep" accept the award for outstanding comedy series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jon Stewart and the cast and crew accept the award for outstanding variety talk series for "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Mel Brooks presents the award for outstanding comedy series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jon Stewart, winner of the awards for outstanding writing for a variety series and outstanding variety talk show for "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart", poses in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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David Chatsworth, from left, Gary Goetzman, Jane Anderson, Steven Shareshian, Lisa Cholodenko, Frances McDormand, and Richard Jenkins, winners of the award for outstanding limited series for "Olive Kitteridge", pose in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jeffrey Tambor, winner of the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for "Transparent," poses in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Peter Dinklage accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for "Game of Thrones" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Jon Hamm crawls on stage to accept the award from Tina Fey for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Mad Men" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Mindy Kaling, right, presents Jon Stewart the award for outstanding writing for a variety series for "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
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Uzo Aduba accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for "Orange Is The New Black" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jamie Lee Curtis, background, and Emma Roberts , right, present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series to Uzo Aduba for "Orange Is The New Black" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jeffrey Tambor poses with the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for "Transparent" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Richard Jenkins, left, and Francis McDormand, winners of the awards for outstanding lead actor and actress in a limited series for "Olive Kitteridge," pose in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jamie Lee Curtis, left, and Emma Roberts present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Amy Schumer, right, and Kim Caramele approach the stage to accept the award for outstanding variety sketch series for "Inside Amy Schumer" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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David Benioff, left, and D.B. Weiss accept the award for outstanding writing for a drama series for "Game Of Thrones" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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LL Cool J presents the award for outstanding variety talk series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jill Soloway poses with the award for outstanding directing for a comedy series for "Transparent" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Will Forte, from left, Colin Hanks, and Seth Meyers appear backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday
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Terrence Howard, from left, Regina King with the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or a movie for "American Crime," and Taraji P. Henson pose backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Kerry Washington, left, and Rob Lowe pose backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Invision for the Television Academy/APRegina King, left, and Taraji P. Henson pose backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
Eric Stonestreet, left, and Jane Lynch present the award for outstanding variety sketch series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Marcia Gay Harden, left, and Lena Headey present the award for outstanding limited series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal, left, and Liev Schreiber present the award for outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or a movie at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Fred Savage appears at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Richard Jenkins, left, accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or a movie for "Olive Kitteridge" from presenter Lady Gaga at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Allison Janney, winner of the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series for "Mom," poses in the press room at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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James Corden poses for a selfie with representatives from Ernst & Young at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Joan Cusack, left, and Maggie Gyllenhaal appear backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Tony Hale poses with award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Veep" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Gina Rodriguez poses backstage at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Anna Chlumsky, left, looks on as Tony Hale embraces Julia Louis-Dreyfus, as he accepts the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Veep" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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John Oliver presents the award for outstanding directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Lisa Cholodenko accepts the award for outstanding directing for a limited series, movie or dramatic special for "Olive Kitteridge" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Regina King accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or a movie for "American Crime" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Taraji P. Henson, left, receives a kiss from Terrence Howard as they present the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or a movie at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Seth Meyers, right, presents the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series to Julia Louis-Dreyfus for "Veep" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Host Andy Samberg, left, and Seth Meyers speak at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Allison Janney is congratulated by her former co-star Bradley Whitford backstage for her Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role in "Mom" at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Taraji P. Henson, left, and Terrence Howard presents the award for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or a movie at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Jimmy Kimmel eats the ballot result as he presents the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Keegan-Michael Key, left, and Jordan Peele present the award for outstanding reality - competition program at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Joan Cusack, left, and Bradley Whitford present the award for outstanding directing for a comedy series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Ricky Gervais pretends to win an Emmy as he presents the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Andy Samberg, left and Jane Lynch speak at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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Julia Louis-Dreyfus, left, and Mel Brooks take a selfie at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.
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