African Americans have appeared on television since the medium has existed. In fact, the first black person on television may have been Broadway star Ethel Waters, who hosted a single variety show on NBC on June 14, 1939, while television was still in development. The medium evolved over the next decade as televisions became a household item, but the roles of black actors did not evolve, with most relegated to servants or providing comedic relief.
Waters herself would go down in history in 1950 as the first African-American to star on a show, Beulah, a sitcom about a housekeeper serving a goofy white family, who got her employers scuff marks every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, Amos and Andy, relied heavily on caricatures of black characters for laughs. Waters quickly left the series, marking the start of a struggle to have the lives and experiences of black people represented in a meaningful and accurate way.
Since then, actors, producers and writers have created and starred in shows that have pushed boundaries and shattered barriers. Many of the shows also reflected what was happening in the country in general, from the era of civil rights to the election of President Barack Obama, and beyond. Below are nine shows that helped push the needle forward by providing more comprehensive portrayals of African Americans and their experiences.
Julia (1968-1971)
Diahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968
Herb Ball / NBCU Photo Bank / Getty Images
Broadway star Diahann Carroll became the first African-American woman to receive an Emmy nomination in 1969, for her role as a middle-class widowed nurse raising a little son in the suburbs. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was criticized at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most black Americans, Julia is now considered revolutionary. Carroll then joined the cast of the popular prime-time soap opera. Dynasty in 1984 as the only recurring black character series.
Soul Train (1971-2006)
Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers performing Soul Train’s signature show ending shouting “LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL” in Episode 396, which aired June 26, 1982.
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Former journalist Don Cornelius may have seemed like an unlikely person to present a music-dance show on TV, but by wanting to show black positivity nationwide, he created a lasting legacy. Soul Train, the oldest black-owned television show, brought black performers like Aretha Franklin, James Brown and a myriad of other performers together with a large audience – and, at the same time, taught the country how to dance.
Good times (1974-1979)
The cast of “Good Times”, presented in 1977. Front row: John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, left to right, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja’net DuBois and Esther Rolle.
CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images
Yes Julia Offering what many saw as an ambitious version of black life, this sitcom set in Chicago’s housing projects shed light on the reality of many of those struggling to get by. But at the heart of the series was the strong bond shared by the Evans family. Episodes have shown how family members stand together in the face of unemployment, crime, racial bigotry and loss. As The Jeffersons, Sanfords and Son and All in the family, the show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought for progressive sitcoms with various on-air castings.
The show was not without controversy, however. John Amos, who played father James Evans Sr., was removed from the cast in 1975. Amos later said he was fired for challenging what he described as a lack of diversity among the show’s writers. and how the black characters from the sitcom were portrayed.
The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
The cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (LR Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
It started as a spin-off of All in the family, But The Jeffersons ended up as the longest-running TV show with a predominantly black cast, spanning 11 seasons. The Jeffersons also featured one of television’s most memorable characters – George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) – who moved his family from Queens to a Manhattan apartment building after building a successful dry cleaning business. Thanks to George’s decidedly confrontational personality, the show offered sharp commentary on race issues. He was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis).
Cosby lounge (1984-1992) It was the biggest television success of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. Sadly, the legacy of the hit series has been marred by a sexual assault conviction (and numerous rape allegations) against series creator Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the series as the wise Heathcliff Huxtable, the patriarch of a large affluent Brooklyn family. However, Cosby lounge brilliantly gave a large audience an in-depth look at African American family life, culture and history, between laughs, while being accessible to a wide audience.
A Different World (1987-1993)
The cast photo of ‘A Different World’ from Season 1 in 1987. Pictured: (clockwise from top left) Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable.
Gary Null / NBC / Getty Images
The Cosby The spin-off that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman College was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) for many Americans. In an era when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or dropouts on television and in movies, a sitcom depicting gifted, black young college students was a much needed reality check.
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)
The cast of “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air” from left: Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey; Janet Hubert as Vivian Banks; James Avery as Philip Banks; Karyn Parsons as Hilary Banks; Alfonso Ribeiro as Carlton Banks. Before: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William “Will” Smith.
Chris Haston / NBC / Getty Images
Fresh prince did not really innovate thematically. It essentially replicates the formula of shows centered on an upper-middle-class black family – in this case, one welcoming a poor relative from West Philadelphia. But the series showed the massive appeal of largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time.
In Living Color (1990-1994)
The cast of ‘In Living Color’, left to right: Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (owned by the cast), circa 1990.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
This foundational comedy sketch show was so popular it spurred production of A-list Super Bowl halftime shows. In 1992 creator Keenan Ivory Wayans put on a live show as a counter-lineup. of the fanfare-filled halftime show of Super Bowl XXVI. The ratings were so high that the NFL began recruiting top talent from the following year.
In living color launched the careers of comedians Jaime Foxx, Jim Carrey, then dancer Jennifer Lopez, as well as the Wayans brothers. He’s also pushed the boundaries when it comes to high-profile humor often mixed with social commentary, paving the way for equally lively humor. Chappelle show.
