4 Iconic Black TV Shows
- We Unite
- Feb 5, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 4, 2021
Background
African Americans have appeared on television for as long as the medium has been around. In fact, the first Black person on TV may have been broadway star Ethel Waters, who hosted a one-off variety show on NBC on June 14th, 1939, back when TV was still being developed. The medium then evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, however, the roles of Black actors showed no sign of development, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief.
Over time, the evident inequality and issues surrounding racism began to arise Consumers began to demand proper racial representation in the media and since then, actors, producers, and writers have created and starred in shows that pushed boundaries and broke barriers. Many shows also reflected what was going on in the country at large, from the civil rights era to the election of President Barack Obama, and beyond. Below are 4 spectacular shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences.
Julia (1968-1971)
Broadway star Diahann Carroll became the first African American woman to receive an Emmy nomination in 1969, for her role as a widowed middle-class nurse raising a small son in the suburbs. The sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans. considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera Dynasty in 1984 as the series’s only Black recurring character.
Soul Train (1971-2006)
Former journalist Don Cornelius may have seemed an unlikely person to bring a music-dance show to TV, but in wanting to showcase Black positivity on a national scale, he created a lasting legacy. Soul Train, the longest-running Black-owned TV show, brought Black entertainers like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and a myriad of other artists to a broad audience—and, at the same time, taught the country to dance.
Good Times (1974-1979)
If Julia offered what many saw as an aspirational version of Black life, this sitcom set in the Chicago housing projects shone a light on the reality of many who were struggling to get by. But at the heart of the show was the strong bond shared by the Evans family. Episodes showed how the family members stuck by each other in the face of unemployment, crime, racial bigotry, and loss. Like The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, and All in the Family, the show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air.
The show wasn't without controversy, however. John Amos who played the father of James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos later said he had been let go for taking issue with what he described as a lack of diversity among the show's writers and how the sitcom's Black characters were portrayed.
In Living Color (1990-1994)
This seminal comedy sketch show was so popular that it spurred the production of A-list Super Bowl halftime shows. In 1992, creator Keenan Ivory Wayans put together a live show as counter-programming to Super Bowl XXVI’s marching band-filled halftime show. The ratings were so high that the NFL began booking top talent starting the next year.
In Living Color launched the careers of comedians Jaime Foxx, Jim Carrey, then-dancer Jennifer Lopez, as well as the Wayans brothers. It also pushed the envelope when it came to wide-ranging humor often laced with social commentary, paving the way for the equally sharp Chappelle Show.
Conclusion
These Black TV shows have revolutionized the historical representation of Black men and women through the decades. It sought to address sensitive subjects such as racism, discrimination, dating violence, and the importance of safe sex. It has continued to play a significant role in society over the years and hopefully will continue to for generations to come.
References
Written by Althea Ocomen from Manila City, Philippines
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