The Emmys crowd has been left stunned by a moving speech from Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph after she won the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Ralph was visibly shocked and emotional as she accepted her award from actress Amy Poehler.

Ralph, who plays Barbara Howard in the laugh-along show, began her acceptance speech a little differently to others of the night, belting out Diane Reeves' Endangered Species.

Sheryl Lee Ralph began her acceptance speech with a song. Photo / Getty Images

Taking a moment to compose herself, she had the awe of the room as she sang: "I am an endangered species. But I sing no victim's song. I am a woman I am an artist. And I know where my voice belongs."

She went on to say: "Anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream... couldn't come true. I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like. And don't you ever, ever give up on you.

Ralph then thanked everyone who had supported and believed in her.

"Don't you ever, ever give up on you, because if you get a Quinta Brunson in your corner, if you get a husband like mine in your corner, if you get children like mine in your corner, and if you've got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved me —thank you!"

Ralph appeared truly humbled as her peers leaped to their feet for a standing ovation.

According to E! News, the 64-year-old is only the second black woman to win Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy series in Emmys history.

Earlier on the red carpet, Ralph told Live From E!'s Laverne Cox, she was proud to represent the black community at the awards ceremony. "Black is anything but basic," she said. "It is classic. It is chic. It is timeless. It is evergreen. It is far from basic. It is black!"

She also shared how grateful she was for "... all the good vibes that have been sent my way and I feel the angels just lifting me up".

When Ralph learned she had been nominated for an Emmy, her son captured her reaction and shared it to Instagram.