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class="page-header__content"><div class="page-header__content-container"><h1 class="page-header__title">8 Boundary‑Breaking Black TV Shows</h1><div class="page-header__summary">These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on television.</div></div></div><div class="page-header__post-info"><div class="page-header__post-info-container"><div class="page-header__author-date"><p class="page-header__author"><span aria-hidden="true">By: </span><a aria-label="Read more articles from Damarys Ocaña Perez" link-name="Damarys Ocaña Perez" href="/author/damarys-ocana-perez">Damarys Ocaña Perez</a></p><p>Updated: <time dateTime="2023-10-02T15:51:38">October 2, 2023</time>  | <span>Original: <time dateTime="2021-02-01T15:42:39">February 1, 2021</time></span></p></div><div class="page-header__sharing hide-print"><button class="button is-style-standalone is-style-standalone--dark-background has-icon"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" 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style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="8 Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture, Featuring 'The Jeffersons' & more" sizes="100vw" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=640&height=426.66666666666663&crop=640%3A426.66666666666663%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 640w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=750&height=500&crop=750%3A500%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 750w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=828&height=552&crop=828%3A552%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 828w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1080&height=540&crop=1080%3A540%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1080w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1248&height=624&crop=1248%3A624%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1248w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1920&height=960&crop=1920%3A960%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1920w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=2048&height=1024&crop=2048%3A1024%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=3840&height=1920&crop=3840%3A1920%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 3840w" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=3840&height=1920&crop=3840%3A1920%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/></span><figcaption class="image-credit"><span>Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in 'The Jeffersons,' credit: CBS via Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure></header><div class="article-content-box"><div class="article-content content"><p>African Americans have appeared on television 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 14, 1939, when television was still being developed. The medium evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, but roles for Black actors did not, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief. </p><p>Waters herself would make history in 1950 as the first African American to star in a show, <em>Beulah,</em> a sitcom about a maid serving a bungling white family, who got her employers out of scrapes in every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, <em>Amos and Andy,</em> relied heavily on caricatures of Black characters for laughs. Waters soon left the show, marking the beginning of a struggle to have Black lives and experiences portrayed in significant and accurate ways. </p><p>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 seven shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences. </p><h2 id="julia-1968-1971">Julia (1968-1971)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%271280%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=1080&height=1350&crop=1080%3A1350%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">Diahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968</div></figure><p>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. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans, <em>Julia</em> is now nevertheless considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera <em>Dynasty</em><em> </em>in 1984 as the series only Black recurring character. </p><h2 id="soul-train-1971-2006">Soul Train (1971-2006)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27576%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1080&height=608&crop=1080%3A608%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Soul Train via Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending by shouting "LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL" on episode 396, airing June 26, 1982.</div></figure><p>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. <em>Soul Train</em>, 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. </p><h2 id="good-times-1974-1979">Good Times (1974-1979)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%271024%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1080&height=1080&crop=1080%3A1080%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=2048&height=2048&crop=2048%3A2048%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=2048&height=2048&crop=2048%3A2048%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">The 'Good Times' cast, shown in 1977. In the front row, John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, from left, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle.</div></figure><p>If <em>Julia</em> 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 <em>The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son</em> and <em>All in the Family, </em>the show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air. </p><p>The show wasn't without controversy, however. John Amos who played the father James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos <a href="https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/john-amos-good-times/">later said</a> 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.</p><h2 id="the-jeffersons-1975-1985">The Jeffersons (1975-1985)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27820%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1080&height=865&crop=1080%3A865%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=2048&height=1640&crop=2048%3A1640%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=2048&height=1640&crop=2048%3A1640%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">The cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.</div></figure><p>It began as a spinoff of <em>All in the Family</em>, but <em>The Jeffersons </em>ended up as the longest-running TV show ever featuring a mostly Black cast, spanning 11 seasons. <em>The Jeffersons</em> also featured one of TV’s most memorable characters ever—George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)—who moves his family from Queens to a Manhattan high rise after building a successful dry cleaning business. Through George’s unapologetically confrontational personality, the show offered sharp commentary on race issues. It was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis) prominently.</p><h2 id="the-cosby-show">The Cosby Show</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27576%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="A scene from a &quot;Cosby Show&quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="A scene from a &quot;Cosby Show&quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable." loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1080&height=608&crop=1080%3A608%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">A scene from 'The Cosby Show' (left to right Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad), circa 1988.</div></figure><p><em>The Cosby Show</em> (1984-1992) It was the biggest TV hit of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. The mega-successful show’s legacy has since been marred by sexual assault conviction (and scores of rape allegations) against the show creator, Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the show as the playfully wise Heathcliff Huxtable, patriarch of a large, well-off Brooklyn family. Nevertheless, <em>The Cosby Show</em> brilliantly gave a wide audience a deep look at African American family life, culture and history, in between the laughs—all while being relatable to a wide audience. </p><h2 id="a-different-world-1987-1993">A Different World (1987-1993)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%271280%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=1080&height=1350&crop=1080%3A1350%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Gary Null/NBC/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">The 'A Different World' cast photo 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.</div></figure><p>The <em>Cosby</em> spinoff that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman college was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many Americans. At a time when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or drop-outs on TV and film, a sitcom portraying young, gifted and Black college students was a very necessary reality check.</p><h2 id="the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-1990-1996">The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%271280%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=1080&height=1350&crop=1080%3A1350%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=2048&height=2560&crop=2048%3A2560%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Chris Haston/NBC/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">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. Front: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William "Will" Smith.</div></figure><p><em>Fresh Prince</em> didn’t exactly break new ground thematically. It basically replicated the formula of shows that centered around an upper-middle class Black family, in this case, one who takes in a poor relation from West Philadelphia. But the show did showcase the massive appeal of the largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time. </p><h2 id="in-living-color-1990-1994">In Living Color (1990-1994)</h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27576%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1080&height=608&crop=1080%3A608%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">The cast of 'In Living Color,' from left to right:&nbsp;Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (being held by cast), circa 1990.</div></figure><p>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. </p><p><em>In Living Color</em> 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<em> Chappelle Show.</em></p><div class="block-story-grid"><div class="card-grid is-style-3-col"><div class="card-grid__container"><article class="card-grid-item"><a aria-label="The Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="card-grid-item__link" link-name="" href="/news/san-francisco-state-student-strike-black-studies"><figure class="card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit is-fallback"><div class="card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain" aria-hidden="true"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/><noscript><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/history-article-default.desktop.jpg"/></noscript></span></div></figure></a><div class="card-grid-item__contain"><a class="card-grid-item__title-link" link-name="The Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department - The 1968 strike was the longest by college students in American history. It helped usher in profound changes in higher education." href="/news/san-francisco-state-student-strike-black-studies"><h2 class="card-grid-item__title">The Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department</h2><p class="card-grid-item__excerpt">The 1968 strike was the longest by college students in American history. 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Jackie Robinson was not the only athlete on the front lines of these changes.</p><div class="card-grid-item__cta"><span class="button is-style-standalone has-icon">Read more<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" width="18" height="18" class="card-grid-item__cta-icon"><path d="M17.0297 4.72031L23.7797 11.4703C23.925 11.6156 24 11.8078 24 11.9578C24 12.1078 23.9268 12.3416 23.7803 12.488L17.0303 19.238C16.7373 19.5309 16.2624 19.5309 15.9699 19.238C15.6774 18.945 15.677 18.4702 15.9699 18.1777L21.4403 12.7073H0.75C0.335438 12.7073 0 12.3719 0 11.9995C0 11.585 0.335438 11.2495 0.75 11.2495H21.4406L15.9703 5.77921C15.6773 5.48625 15.6773 5.0114 15.9703 4.7189C16.2633 4.4264 16.7391 4.42687 17.0297 4.72031Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></article><article class="card-grid-item"><a aria-label="11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="card-grid-item__link" link-name="" href="/news/black-music-slavery-protest"><figure class="card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit is-fallback"><div class="card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain" aria-hidden="true"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/><noscript><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/history-article-default.desktop.jpg"/></noscript></span></div></figure></a><div class="card-grid-item__contain"><a class="card-grid-item__title-link" link-name="11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History - From spirituals to ballads, funk and hip‑hop, these songs have provided a soundtrack to the pride and struggle of African Americans through the centuries." href="/news/black-music-slavery-protest"><h2 class="card-grid-item__title">11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History</h2><p class="card-grid-item__excerpt">From spirituals to ballads, funk and hip‑hop, these songs have provided a soundtrack to the pride and struggle of African Americans through the centuries.</p><div class="card-grid-item__cta"><span class="button is-style-standalone has-icon">Read more<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" width="18" height="18" class="card-grid-item__cta-icon"><path d="M17.0297 4.72031L23.7797 11.4703C23.925 11.6156 24 11.8078 24 11.9578C24 12.1078 23.9268 12.3416 23.7803 12.488L17.0303 19.238C16.7373 19.5309 16.2624 19.5309 15.9699 19.238C15.6774 18.945 15.677 18.4702 15.9699 18.1777L21.4403 12.7073H0.75C0.335438 12.7073 0 12.3719 0 11.9995C0 11.585 0.335438 11.2495 0.75 11.2495H21.4406L15.9703 5.77921C15.6773 5.48625 15.6773 5.0114 15.9703 4.7189C16.2633 4.4264 16.7391 4.42687 17.0297 4.72031Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></article></div></div></div></div><footer class="article-footer article-footer--topic"><div class="author-byline article__contained has-elevation"><div class="byline__content"><div class="byline__information"><div class="byline__author-wrapper"><p class="byline__author"><span aria-hidden="true">By: </span><a aria-label="Read more articles from Damarys Ocaña Perez" link-name="Damarys Ocaña Perez" href="/author/damarys-ocana-perez">Damarys Ocaña Perez</a></p></div><div class="byline__description"><p>Damarys Ocaña Perez is a New York-based writer and editor whose work has been published in magazines, websites, and newspapers including <em>The Miami Herald, People, Parents, and The Guardian.com</em>. She is the former editorial director of <em>Latina</em> magazine. </p> </div></div></div></div><hr/><div></div><div class="container--article-wide"><div class="article-footer__facts-citation"><aside class="article-sources"><h2 class="article-sources__title">Citation Information</h2><dl class="article-sources__list"><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Article Title</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">8 Boundary‑Breaking Black TV Shows</dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Author</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description"><a class="article-header__author" aria-label="Read more articles from Damarys Ocaña Perez" link-name="Damarys Ocaña Perez" href="/author/damarys-ocana-perez">Damarys Ocaña Perez</a></dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Website Name</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">HISTORY</dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">URL</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description"><a href="https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture">https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture</a></dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Date Accessed</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">November 24, 2024</dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Publisher</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">A&E Television Networks</dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Last Updated</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">October 2, 2023</dd></div><div class="article-sources__pair"><dt class="article-sources__pair-title">Original Published Date</dt><dd class="article-sources__pair-description">February 1, 2021</dd></div></dl></aside><div class="article-footer__facts-wrapper"><aside class="article-fact-check"><h2 class="article-fact-check__title">Fact Check</h2><p class="article-fact-check__copy">We strive for accuracy and fairness. 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All Rights Reserved.</p></div></footer></div><script id="__NEXT_DATA__" type="application/json">{"props":{"pageProps":{"_sentryTraceData":"12358c97e54c4deb9db7254526be1f00-ad5506c498aa29e9-0","_sentryBaggage":"sentry-environment=production,sentry-release=zQ071g4z-1OJvlBLY3TcS,sentry-public_key=6a648ea8c0214c3eb9223c5771a039ab,sentry-trace_id=12358c97e54c4deb9db7254526be1f00,sentry-transaction=%2Fnews%2F%5Bslug%5D,sentry-sampled=false","featuredImage":{"id":29221,"date":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https://wp.editorial.aetnd.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-titanics-rescue-ship"},"modified":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","slug":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839","status":"inherit","type":"attachment","link":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839/","title":{"rendered":"The-Jeffersons-GettyImages-149219839"},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"credit":"Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in 'The Jeffersons,' credit: CBS via Getty Images","credit_url":"","getty_2025":""},"class_list":["post-29221","attachment","type-attachment","status-inherit","hentry"],"prepublish_checks":{},"description":{"rendered":"\u003cp class=\"attachment\"\u003e\u003ca href='https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg'\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300\u0026amp;height=169\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"8 Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture, Featuring \u0026#039;The Jeffersons\u0026#039; \u0026amp; more\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"caption":{"rendered":""},"alt_text":"8 Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture, Featuring 'The Jeffersons' \u0026 more","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image/jpeg","media_details":{"file":"2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"width":"150","height":"150","crop":"1","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=150\u0026height=150\u0026crop=1:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"medium":{"width":"300","height":169,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300\u0026height=169","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"medium_large":{"width":"768","height":"0","crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=768","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"large":{"width":"1024","height":576,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1024\u0026height=576","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"1536x1536":{"width":1536,"height":864,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1536\u0026height=864","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"2048x2048":{"width":2048,"height":1152,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=2048\u0026height=1152","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_large":{"width":1250,"height":625,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1250\u0026height=625\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_medium":{"width":800,"height":400,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=800\u0026height=400\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_small":{"width":500,"height":250,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=500\u0026height=250\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"full":{"file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"mime_type":"image/jpeg","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"}},"width":1920,"height":1080,"filesize":2036300},"post":29220,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"images":{"29221":{"id":29221,"date":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https://wp.editorial.aetnd.com/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-titanics-rescue-ship"},"modified":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T08:01:49","slug":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839","status":"inherit","type":"attachment","link":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839/","title":{"rendered":"The-Jeffersons-GettyImages-149219839"},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"credit":"Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford in 'The Jeffersons,' credit: CBS via Getty Images","credit_url":"","getty_2025":""},"class_list":["post-29221","attachment","type-attachment","status-inherit","hentry"],"prepublish_checks":{},"description":{"rendered":"\u003cp class=\"attachment\"\u003e\u003ca href='https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg'\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300\u0026amp;height=169\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"8 Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture, Featuring \u0026#039;The Jeffersons\u0026#039; \u0026amp; more\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"caption":{"rendered":""},"alt_text":"8 Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture, Featuring 'The Jeffersons' \u0026 more","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image/jpeg","media_details":{"file":"2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"width":"150","height":"150","crop":"1","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=150\u0026height=150\u0026crop=1:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"medium":{"width":"300","height":169,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=300\u0026height=169","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"medium_large":{"width":"768","height":"0","crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=768","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"large":{"width":"1024","height":576,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1024\u0026height=576","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"1536x1536":{"width":1536,"height":864,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1536\u0026height=864","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"2048x2048":{"width":2048,"height":1152,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=2048\u0026height=1152","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_large":{"width":1250,"height":625,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=1250\u0026height=625\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_medium":{"width":800,"height":400,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=800\u0026height=400\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"corpnews_small":{"width":500,"height":250,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg?width=500\u0026height=250\u0026crop=2:1","file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"},"full":{"file":"the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"mime_type":"image/jpeg","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"}},"width":1920,"height":1080,"filesize":2036300},"post":29220,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg"}},"post":{"id":29220,"date":"2021-02-01T15:42:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T15:42:39","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-10-02T11:51:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T15:51:38","slug":"black-tv-shows-culture","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture","title":{"rendered":"8 Boundary-Breaking Black TV Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfrican Americans have appeared on television 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 14, 1939, when television was still being developed. The medium evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, but roles for Black actors did not, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eWaters herself would make history in 1950 as the first African American to star in a show, \u003cem\u003eBeulah,\u003c/em\u003e a sitcom about a maid serving a bungling white family, who got her employers out of scrapes in every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, \u003cem\u003eAmos and Andy,\u003c/em\u003e relied heavily on caricatures of Black characters for laughs. Waters soon left the show, marking the beginning of a struggle to have Black lives and experiences portrayed in significant and accurate ways. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"sb-featured-content\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/classic-tv-shows-1950s-i-love-lucy-milton-berle\" class=\"sb-featured-content__link\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__text\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__term\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArt, Literature and Film History\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__title\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Most Influential Classic Shows from TV\u0026#8217;s ‘Golden Age’\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__cta\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__background\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024\u0026amp;height=576\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Actresses Lucille Ball (right) and Amanda Milligan in a classic episode of the television comedy \u0026#039;I Love Lucy\u0026#039; entitled \u0026#039;Job Switching,\u0026#039; which aired on May 30, 1952.\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1958 1958w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/a\u003e\n\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince 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 seven shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eJulia (1968-1971)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29222\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eDiahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBroadway 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. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans, \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e is now nevertheless considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eDynasty\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ein 1984 as the series only Black recurring character.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eSoul Train (1971-2006)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29223\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eDon Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending by shouting \u0026#8220;LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL\u0026#8221; on episode 396, airing June 26, 1982.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFormer 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. \u003cem\u003eSoul Train\u003c/em\u003e, 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. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eGood Times (1974-1979)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1919\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle\" class=\"wp-image-29224\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=150 150w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe \u0026#8216;Good Times\u0026#8217; cast, shown in 1977. In the front row, John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, from left, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja\u0026#8217;net DuBois, and Esther Rolle.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons, Sanford and Son\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family, \u003c/em\u003ethe show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe show wasn\u0026#8217;t without controversy, however. John Amos\u0026nbsp;who played the father James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/john-amos-good-times/\"\u003elater said\u003c/a\u003e he had been let go for taking issue with what he described as a lack of diversity among the show\u0026#8217;s writers and how the sitcom\u0026#8217;s Black characters were portrayed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Jeffersons (1975-1985)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs\" class=\"wp-image-29225\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt began as a spinoff of \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family\u003c/em\u003e, but \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons \u003c/em\u003eended up as the longest-running TV show ever featuring a mostly Black cast, spanning 11 seasons. \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons\u003c/em\u003e also featured one of TV’s most memorable characters ever—George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)—who moves his family from Queens to a Manhattan high rise after building a successful dry cleaning business. Through George’s unapologetically confrontational personality, the show offered sharp commentary on race issues. It was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis) prominently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"A scene from a \u0026quot;Cosby Show\u0026quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable.\" class=\"wp-image-29226\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eA scene from \u0026#8216;The Cosby Show\u0026#8217; (left to right Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad), circa 1988.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e (1984-1992) It was the biggest TV hit of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. The mega-successful show’s legacy has since been marred by sexual assault conviction (and scores of rape allegations) against the show creator, Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the show as the playfully wise Heathcliff Huxtable, patriarch of a large, well-off Brooklyn family. Nevertheless, \u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e brilliantly gave a wide audience a deep look at African American family life, culture and history, in between the laughs—all while being relatable to a wide audience. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eA Different World (1987-1993)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable\" class=\"wp-image-29227\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe \u0026#8216;A Different World\u0026#8217; cast photo 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.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eCosby\u003c/em\u003e spinoff that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman college was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many Americans. At a time when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or drop-outs on TV and film, a sitcom portraying young, gifted and Black college students was a very necessary reality check.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29228\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of \u0026#8220;The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air\u0026#8221; 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. Front: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William \u0026#8220;Will\u0026#8221; Smith.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFresh Prince\u003c/em\u003e didn’t exactly break new ground thematically. It basically replicated the formula of shows that centered around an upper-middle class Black family, in this case, one who takes in a poor relation from West Philadelphia. But the show did showcase the massive appeal of the largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eIn Living Color (1990-1994)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans\" class=\"wp-image-29229\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of \u0026#8216;In Living Color,\u0026#8217; from left to right:\u0026amp;nbsp;Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (being held by cast), circa 1990.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn Living Color\u003c/em\u003e 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\u003cem\u003e Chappelle Show.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-story-grid\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid post-grid is-style-3-col \"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"The Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"A Black Students Union leader in front of a crowd of demonstrators at San Francisco State College in December 1968. The union had gone on strike after racial strife between students and administration.\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2023/02/watchf_associated_press_domestic_news_california__690121020-2.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"A Black Students Union leader in front of a crowd of demonstrators at San Francisco State College in December 1968. The union had gone on strike after racial strife between students and administration.\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003e1960s\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003eThe Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Nat \u0026#039;Sweetwater\u0026#039; Clifton, the first Black player to sign an NBA contract\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2022/06/gettyimages-517727432.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Nat \u0026#039;Sweetwater\u0026#039; Clifton, the first Black player to sign an NBA contract\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2020/06/black-pride-anthems-gettyimages-517322986.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t","protected":false,"blocks":[{"clientId":"ab990a7b-0189-4430-b261-322a7b272389","name":"corpnews-blocks/subhead","attributes":[],"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f305ecb8-b4a2-4134-898f-84977ff1d8e5","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"African Americans have appeared on television 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 14, 1939, when television was still being developed. The medium evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, but roles for Black actors did not, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"62dc39e4-0fc6-4457-a569-eed438bbcc55","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Waters herself would make history in 1950 as the first African American to star in a show, \u003cem\u003eBeulah,\u003c/em\u003e a sitcom about a maid serving a bungling white family, who got her employers out of scrapes in every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, \u003cem\u003eAmos and Andy,\u003c/em\u003e relied heavily on caricatures of Black characters for laughs. Waters soon left the show, marking the beginning of a struggle to have Black lives and experiences portrayed in significant and accurate ways. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"b0fca70f-e9af-4889-b7e8-14c8e5c3f9b7","name":"corpnews-blocks/featured-content","attributes":{"id":20736,"featured_media":20737,"title":"The Most Influential Classic Shows from TV\u0026#8217;s ‘Golden Age’","excerpt":"Pioneering shows from the 1950s, like \u0026#8216;I Love Lucy,\u0026#8217; would help shape the medium for decades to come.","slug":"classic-tv-shows-1950s-i-love-lucy-milton-berle","featured_media_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024\u0026height=576","type":"story"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"402c35a3-a419-46fe-aa19-c6c1f4f3730c","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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 seven shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"a0d3d319-d859-49e2-9f42-849829946e8f","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Julia (1968-1971)","level":2,"id":"julia-1968-1971"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ce10b1ea-ba7b-4a30-93c7-1e9dd0c8ac45","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29222,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"Diahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"532b7072-d720-4bbb-9960-f1ab1cb4aba5","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans, \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e is now nevertheless considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eDynasty\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ein 1984 as the series only Black recurring character.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ddb9d78e-383d-451a-9e79-461f51b1dedd","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Soul Train (1971-2006)","level":2,"id":"soul-train-1971-2006"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c84c19b6-0a43-4cc2-9999-c529bb44dccd","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29223,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Soul Train via Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending by shouting \"LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL\" on episode 396, airing June 26, 1982.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ad38bcef-a3aa-40df-a9bc-65a5d43d7b07","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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. \u003cem\u003eSoul Train\u003c/em\u003e, 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. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"325c84d8-1499-4219-bb0c-2baaad8b2a17","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Good Times (1974-1979)","level":2,"id":"good-times-1974-1979"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"121f201e-679e-49a3-aedb-5391b9bfc318","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29224,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle","caption":"The 'Good Times' cast, shown in 1977. In the front row, John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, from left, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle.","width":1024,"height":1024},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f5aeb109-1b77-4823-aae2-410f27a41eeb","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"If \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons, Sanford and Son\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family, \u003c/em\u003ethe show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"1f99e305-5157-4567-b618-1629994739ef","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The show wasn't without controversy, however. John Amos\u0026nbsp;who played the father James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/john-amos-good-times/\"\u003elater said\u003c/a\u003e 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.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"fa910d7f-91f0-4fe4-9d3d-770f7cab12fa","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Jeffersons (1975-1985)","level":2,"id":"the-jeffersons-1975-1985"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"6f0e8dd1-6bb7-40b1-b23b-b1505691bd4a","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29225,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs","caption":"The cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.","width":1024,"height":820},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9624e13b-bf45-435c-ba2e-700aa35d3cd1","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"It began as a spinoff of \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family\u003c/em\u003e, but \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons \u003c/em\u003eended up as the longest-running TV show ever featuring a mostly Black cast, spanning 11 seasons. \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons\u003c/em\u003e also featured one of TV’s most memorable characters ever—George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)—who moves his family from Queens to a Manhattan high rise after building a successful dry cleaning business. Through George’s unapologetically confrontational personality, the show offered sharp commentary on race issues. It was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis) prominently.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"16238a60-edb6-4d2c-8485-3ff55f001011","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Cosby Show","level":2,"id":"the-cosby-show"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9d553872-0727-4fc1-b6b8-92c01d51dacc","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29226,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"A scene from a \u0026quot;Cosby Show\u0026quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable.","caption":"A scene from 'The Cosby Show' (left to right Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad), circa 1988.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ea037bee-b8d3-4f5c-9c75-1937368fab26","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e (1984-1992) It was the biggest TV hit of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. The mega-successful show’s legacy has since been marred by sexual assault conviction (and scores of rape allegations) against the show creator, Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the show as the playfully wise Heathcliff Huxtable, patriarch of a large, well-off Brooklyn family. Nevertheless, \u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e brilliantly gave a wide audience a deep look at African American family life, culture and history, in between the laughs—all while being relatable to a wide audience. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9afd4e93-6193-401e-870a-469259adfb29","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"A Different World (1987-1993)","level":2,"id":"a-different-world-1987-1993"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ae40e353-687a-4425-82ce-3dcb5b0a37e1","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29227,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Gary Null/NBC/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable","caption":"The 'A Different World' cast photo 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.","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"502ed68d-1045-4033-8cf3-51fdc2512566","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The \u003cem\u003eCosby\u003c/em\u003e spinoff that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman college was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many Americans. At a time when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or drop-outs on TV and film, a sitcom portraying young, gifted and Black college students was a very necessary reality check.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"36147ee6-a3e8-4e60-90d8-b3b6d0ddac75","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)","level":2,"id":"the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-1990-1996"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c8d9db57-6363-49c6-987f-29123b0d50c4","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29228,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Chris Haston/NBC/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"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. Front: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William \"Will\" Smith.","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"654d4d04-3eba-43a6-a2ba-90a0497ad7f9","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eFresh Prince\u003c/em\u003e didn’t exactly break new ground thematically. It basically replicated the formula of shows that centered around an upper-middle class Black family, in this case, one who takes in a poor relation from West Philadelphia. But the show did showcase the massive appeal of the largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"a95d3894-5567-4faf-b0e6-f1f6dd461022","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"In Living Color (1990-1994)","level":2,"id":"in-living-color-1990-1994"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"0d7f3053-ec61-4fca-88aa-7f3c49ba6f9a","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29229,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans","caption":"The cast of 'In Living Color,' from left to right:\u0026amp;nbsp;Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (being held by cast), circa 1990.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"cba20b1a-323c-4c7d-8f83-4b94cf870991","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"39eb1c5d-9158-43a4-a731-0e0ea4def44b","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eIn Living Color\u003c/em\u003e 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\u003cem\u003e Chappelle Show.\u003c/em\u003e","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9a6cc971-772a-4ffd-bdc3-860df6cf903a","name":"corpnews-blocks/story-grid","attributes":{"posts":"[{\"id\":37902,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/san-francisco-state-student-strike-black-studies\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"The Campus Walkout That Led to America\\u2019s First Black Studies Department\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"The 1968 strike was the longest by college students in American history. It helped usher in profound changes in higher education.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":35913,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/black-athletes-who-integrated-their-sports\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"After WWII, racial barriers in sports slowly began to drop. Jackie Robinson was not the only athlete on the front lines of these changes.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":22324,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/black-music-slavery-protest\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"From spirituals to ballads, funk and hip-hop, these songs have provided a soundtrack to the pride and struggle of African Americans through the centuries.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"}]","className":"is-style-3-col","preview":false,"postType":["any"],"cardsHeading":""},"innerBlocks":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on television.","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":29221,"template":"","meta":{"video_platform_id":"","video_duration":0,"video_content_rating":"","video_disable_autoplay":false,"curated_related_posts":"","disable_related_posts":"","subhead":"These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on television.","exclude_from_rss":false,"distribute_scheduled_post":[],"downloadable_assets":[],"footnotes":"","reading_time":7},"tags":[],"article_type":[],"story_byline":[1384],"story_category":[67],"class_list":["post-29220","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","story_byline-damarys-ocana-perez","story_category-black-history"],"prepublish_checks":{},"is_external":false,"article_type_meta":"","tags_meta":"","disable_interrupter":"","primary_term":67,"video_thumbnail":false,"hide_on_google_news":false,"yoast_head_json":{"title":"8 Boundary-Breaking Black TV Shows | HISTORY","description":"These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on 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more"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.history.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Posts","item":"https://www.history.com/news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"8 Boundary-Breaking Black TV Shows"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.history.com#website","url":"https://www.history.com","name":"HISTORY","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://www.history.com/search/{search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.history.com/#/schema/person/1107fd6d34bf076b4f726724c1dfd236","name":"Damarys Ocaña Perez","description":"Damarys Ocaña Perez is a New York-based writer and editor whose work has been published in magazines, websites, and newspapers including The Miami Herald, People, Parents, and The Guardian.com. She is the former editorial director of Latina magazine.\u0026nbsp;","url":"https://www.history.com/author/damarys-ocana-perez"}]},"news_article_schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"8 Boundary-Breaking Black TV Shows","description":"These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on television.","url":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture/","thumbnailUrl":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-149219839.jpg","datePublished":"2021-02-01 15:42:39","dateModified":"2023-10-02 15:51:38","articleSection":"Black History","creator":["Damarys Ocaña Perez"],"keywords":[],"author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.history.com/#/schema/person/1107fd6d34bf076b4f726724c1dfd236","name":"Damarys Ocaña Perez","description":"Damarys Ocaña Perez is a New York-based writer and editor whose work has been published in magazines, websites, and newspapers including The Miami Herald, People, Parents, and The Guardian.com. She is the former editorial director of Latina magazine.\u0026nbsp;","url":"https://www.history.com/author/damarys-ocana-perez"}}}},"posts":[{"id":29220,"date":"2021-02-01T15:42:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T15:42:39","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-10-02T11:51:38","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T15:51:38","slug":"black-tv-shows-culture","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https://www.history.com/news/black-tv-shows-culture","title":{"rendered":"8 Boundary-Breaking Black TV Shows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfrican Americans have appeared on television 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 14, 1939, when television was still being developed. The medium evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, but roles for Black actors did not, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eWaters herself would make history in 1950 as the first African American to star in a show, \u003cem\u003eBeulah,\u003c/em\u003e a sitcom about a maid serving a bungling white family, who got her employers out of scrapes in every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, \u003cem\u003eAmos and Andy,\u003c/em\u003e relied heavily on caricatures of Black characters for laughs. Waters soon left the show, marking the beginning of a struggle to have Black lives and experiences portrayed in significant and accurate ways. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"sb-featured-content\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/classic-tv-shows-1950s-i-love-lucy-milton-berle\" class=\"sb-featured-content__link\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__text\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__term\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArt, Literature and Film History\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__title\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Most Influential Classic Shows from TV\u0026#8217;s ‘Golden Age’\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__cta\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead More\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"sb-featured-content__background\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024\u0026amp;height=576\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Actresses Lucille Ball (right) and Amanda Milligan in a classic episode of the television comedy \u0026#039;I Love Lucy\u0026#039; entitled \u0026#039;Job Switching,\u0026#039; which aired on May 30, 1952.\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1958 1958w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/a\u003e\n\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eSince 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 seven shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eJulia (1968-1971)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29222\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eDiahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBroadway 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. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans, \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e is now nevertheless considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eDynasty\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ein 1984 as the series only Black recurring character.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eSoul Train (1971-2006)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29223\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eDon Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending by shouting \u0026#8220;LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL\u0026#8221; on episode 396, airing June 26, 1982.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFormer 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. \u003cem\u003eSoul Train\u003c/em\u003e, 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. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eGood Times (1974-1979)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1919\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle\" class=\"wp-image-29224\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=150 150w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe \u0026#8216;Good Times\u0026#8217; cast, shown in 1977. In the front row, John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, from left, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja\u0026#8217;net DuBois, and Esther Rolle.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons, Sanford and Son\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family, \u003c/em\u003ethe show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe show wasn\u0026#8217;t without controversy, however. John Amos\u0026nbsp;who played the father James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/john-amos-good-times/\"\u003elater said\u003c/a\u003e he had been let go for taking issue with what he described as a lack of diversity among the show\u0026#8217;s writers and how the sitcom\u0026#8217;s Black characters were portrayed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Jeffersons (1975-1985)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs\" class=\"wp-image-29225\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt began as a spinoff of \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family\u003c/em\u003e, but \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons \u003c/em\u003eended up as the longest-running TV show ever featuring a mostly Black cast, spanning 11 seasons. \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons\u003c/em\u003e also featured one of TV’s most memorable characters ever—George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)—who moves his family from Queens to a Manhattan high rise after building a successful dry cleaning business. Through George’s unapologetically confrontational personality, the show offered sharp commentary on race issues. It was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis) prominently.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"A scene from a \u0026quot;Cosby Show\u0026quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable.\" class=\"wp-image-29226\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eA scene from \u0026#8216;The Cosby Show\u0026#8217; (left to right Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad), circa 1988.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e (1984-1992) It was the biggest TV hit of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. The mega-successful show’s legacy has since been marred by sexual assault conviction (and scores of rape allegations) against the show creator, Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the show as the playfully wise Heathcliff Huxtable, patriarch of a large, well-off Brooklyn family. Nevertheless, \u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e brilliantly gave a wide audience a deep look at African American family life, culture and history, in between the laughs—all while being relatable to a wide audience. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eA Different World (1987-1993)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable\" class=\"wp-image-29227\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe \u0026#8216;A Different World\u0026#8217; cast photo 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.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eCosby\u003c/em\u003e spinoff that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman college was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many Americans. At a time when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or drop-outs on TV and film, a sitcom portraying young, gifted and Black college students was a very necessary reality check.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture\" class=\"wp-image-29228\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=2048 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of \u0026#8220;The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air\u0026#8221; 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. Front: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William \u0026#8220;Will\u0026#8221; Smith.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFresh Prince\u003c/em\u003e didn’t exactly break new ground thematically. It basically replicated the formula of shows that centered around an upper-middle class Black family, in this case, one who takes in a poor relation from West Philadelphia. But the show did showcase the massive appeal of the largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eIn Living Color (1990-1994)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans\" class=\"wp-image-29229\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe cast of \u0026#8216;In Living Color,\u0026#8217; from left to right:\u0026amp;nbsp;Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (being held by cast), circa 1990.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn Living Color\u003c/em\u003e 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\u003cem\u003e Chappelle Show.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-story-grid\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid post-grid is-style-3-col \"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"The Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"A Black Students Union leader in front of a crowd of demonstrators at San Francisco State College in December 1968. The union had gone on strike after racial strife between students and administration.\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2023/02/watchf_associated_press_domestic_news_california__690121020-2.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"A Black Students Union leader in front of a crowd of demonstrators at San Francisco State College in December 1968. The union had gone on strike after racial strife between students and administration.\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003e1960s\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003eThe Campus Walkout That Led to America’s First Black Studies Department\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Nat \u0026#039;Sweetwater\u0026#039; Clifton, the first Black player to sign an NBA contract\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2022/06/gettyimages-517727432.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Nat \u0026#039;Sweetwater\u0026#039; Clifton, the first Black player to sign an NBA contract\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e9 Black Athletes Who Integrated Professional Sports\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2020/06/black-pride-anthems-gettyimages-517322986.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t","protected":false,"blocks":[{"clientId":"ab990a7b-0189-4430-b261-322a7b272389","name":"corpnews-blocks/subhead","attributes":[],"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f305ecb8-b4a2-4134-898f-84977ff1d8e5","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"African Americans have appeared on television 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 14, 1939, when television was still being developed. The medium evolved over the next decade as TVs became a household fixture, but roles for Black actors did not, with most being relegated to playing servants or providing comic relief. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"62dc39e4-0fc6-4457-a569-eed438bbcc55","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Waters herself would make history in 1950 as the first African American to star in a show, \u003cem\u003eBeulah,\u003c/em\u003e a sitcom about a maid serving a bungling white family, who got her employers out of scrapes in every episode. But the show, like its contemporary, \u003cem\u003eAmos and Andy,\u003c/em\u003e relied heavily on caricatures of Black characters for laughs. Waters soon left the show, marking the beginning of a struggle to have Black lives and experiences portrayed in significant and accurate ways. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"b0fca70f-e9af-4889-b7e8-14c8e5c3f9b7","name":"corpnews-blocks/featured-content","attributes":{"id":20736,"featured_media":20737,"title":"The Most Influential Classic Shows from TV\u0026#8217;s ‘Golden Age’","excerpt":"Pioneering shows from the 1950s, like \u0026#8216;I Love Lucy,\u0026#8217; would help shape the medium for decades to come.","slug":"classic-tv-shows-1950s-i-love-lucy-milton-berle","featured_media_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/07/de816330-47f5-4a09-bd69-155f7add2de3_1_201_a.jpg?width=1024\u0026height=576","type":"story"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"402c35a3-a419-46fe-aa19-c6c1f4f3730c","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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 seven shows that helped move the needle in offering more rounded portrayals of African Americans and their experiences. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"a0d3d319-d859-49e2-9f42-849829946e8f","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Julia (1968-1971)","level":2,"id":"julia-1968-1971"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ce10b1ea-ba7b-4a30-93c7-1e9dd0c8ac45","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29222,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Herb Ball/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/julia-gettyimages-862102724.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Diahann Carroll as Julia Baker, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"Diahann Carroll as Julia, January 1968","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"532b7072-d720-4bbb-9960-f1ab1cb4aba5","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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. Although the sitcom, which largely avoided tackling social and racial topics, was lambasted at the time by critics who said it did not reflect the lives of most Black Americans, \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e is now nevertheless considered groundbreaking. Carroll went on to join the cast of the popular primetime soap opera\u0026nbsp;\u003cem\u003eDynasty\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003ein 1984 as the series only Black recurring character.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ddb9d78e-383d-451a-9e79-461f51b1dedd","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Soul Train (1971-2006)","level":2,"id":"soul-train-1971-2006"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c84c19b6-0a43-4cc2-9999-c529bb44dccd","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29223,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Soul Train via Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/soul-train-gettyimages-1195113310.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"Don Cornelius and the Soul Train Dancers doing the signature Soul Train show ending by shouting \"LOVE, PEACE AND SOUL\" on episode 396, airing June 26, 1982.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ad38bcef-a3aa-40df-a9bc-65a5d43d7b07","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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. \u003cem\u003eSoul Train\u003c/em\u003e, 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. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"325c84d8-1499-4219-bb0c-2baaad8b2a17","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"Good Times (1974-1979)","level":2,"id":"good-times-1974-1979"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"121f201e-679e-49a3-aedb-5391b9bfc318","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29224,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/good-times-gettyimages-80835785.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Cast of Good Times, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle","caption":"The 'Good Times' cast, shown in 1977. In the front row, John Amos (left) and Jimmie Walker; back row, from left, Ralph Carter, Bern Nadette Stanis, Ja'net DuBois, and Esther Rolle.","width":1024,"height":1024},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f5aeb109-1b77-4823-aae2-410f27a41eeb","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"If \u003cem\u003eJulia\u003c/em\u003e 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 \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons, Sanford and Son\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family, \u003c/em\u003ethe show was created by legendary producer and writer Norman Lear, who fought to get progressive sitcoms with diverse casts on the air.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"1f99e305-5157-4567-b618-1629994739ef","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The show wasn't without controversy, however. John Amos\u0026nbsp;who played the father James Evans Sr. was dropped from the cast in 1975. Amos \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/john-amos-good-times/\"\u003elater said\u003c/a\u003e 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.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"fa910d7f-91f0-4fe4-9d3d-770f7cab12fa","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Jeffersons (1975-1985)","level":2,"id":"the-jeffersons-1975-1985"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"6f0e8dd1-6bb7-40b1-b23b-b1505691bd4a","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29225,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-jeffersons-gettyimages-108479495.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The cast of The Jeffersons, Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs","caption":"The cast of ‘The Jeffersons’ (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated), circa 1977.","width":1024,"height":820},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9624e13b-bf45-435c-ba2e-700aa35d3cd1","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"It began as a spinoff of \u003cem\u003eAll in the Family\u003c/em\u003e, but \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons \u003c/em\u003eended up as the longest-running TV show ever featuring a mostly Black cast, spanning 11 seasons. \u003cem\u003eThe Jeffersons\u003c/em\u003e also featured one of TV’s most memorable characters ever—George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)—who moves his family from Queens to a Manhattan high rise after building a successful dry cleaning business. 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It was also the first to feature an interracial couple (neighbors Helen and Tom Willis) prominently.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"16238a60-edb6-4d2c-8485-3ff55f001011","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Cosby Show","level":2,"id":"the-cosby-show"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9d553872-0727-4fc1-b6b8-92c01d51dacc","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29226,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/cosby-show-gettyimages-138420370.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"A scene from a \u0026quot;Cosby Show\u0026quot; episode from 1988 shows (left to right) Tempestt Bledsoe as Vanessa Huxtable, Keshia Knight Pulliam as Rudy Huxtable, Bill Cosby as Dr. Heathcliff 'Cliff' Huxtable, Phylicia Rashad as Clair Hanks Huxtable.","caption":"A scene from 'The Cosby Show' (left to right Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad), circa 1988.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ea037bee-b8d3-4f5c-9c75-1937368fab26","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e (1984-1992) It was the biggest TV hit of the 1980s, often credited with reviving the sitcom genre. The mega-successful show’s legacy has since been marred by sexual assault conviction (and scores of rape allegations) against the show creator, Bill Cosby. Cosby also anchored the show as the playfully wise Heathcliff Huxtable, patriarch of a large, well-off Brooklyn family. Nevertheless, \u003cem\u003eThe Cosby Show\u003c/em\u003e brilliantly gave a wide audience a deep look at African American family life, culture and history, in between the laughs—all while being relatable to a wide audience. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9afd4e93-6193-401e-870a-469259adfb29","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"A Different World (1987-1993)","level":2,"id":"a-different-world-1987-1993"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"ae40e353-687a-4425-82ce-3dcb5b0a37e1","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29227,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Gary Null/NBC/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/a-different-world-gettyimages-140629787.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The cast of A Different World, Kadeem Hardison as Dwayne Cleophus Wayne, Dawnn Lewis as Jaleesa Vinson Taylor, Marisa Tomei as Maggie Lauten, Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable","caption":"The 'A Different World' cast photo 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.","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"502ed68d-1045-4033-8cf3-51fdc2512566","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The \u003cem\u003eCosby\u003c/em\u003e spinoff that followed Denise (Lisa Bonet) to the fictional Hillman college was an introduction to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for many Americans. At a time when young African Americans were often stereotyped as criminals or drop-outs on TV and film, a sitcom portraying young, gifted and Black college students was a very necessary reality check.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"36147ee6-a3e8-4e60-90d8-b3b6d0ddac75","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (1990-1996)","level":2,"id":"the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-1990-1996"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c8d9db57-6363-49c6-987f-29123b0d50c4","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29228,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Chris Haston/NBC/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/the-fresh-prince-of-belair-gettyimages-141335182.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Fresh Prince of Belair, Black TV Shows That Helped Change Culture","caption":"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. Front: Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks and Will Smith as William \"Will\" Smith.","width":1024,"height":1280},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"654d4d04-3eba-43a6-a2ba-90a0497ad7f9","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eFresh Prince\u003c/em\u003e didn’t exactly break new ground thematically. It basically replicated the formula of shows that centered around an upper-middle class Black family, in this case, one who takes in a poor relation from West Philadelphia. But the show did showcase the massive appeal of the largely unknown rapper Will Smith, catapulting him into a record-breaking film career as one of the biggest box office stars of all time. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"a95d3894-5567-4faf-b0e6-f1f6dd461022","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"In Living Color (1990-1994)","level":2,"id":"in-living-color-1990-1994"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"0d7f3053-ec61-4fca-88aa-7f3c49ba6f9a","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29229,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2021/02/in-living-color-tsdinli_fe010.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"In Living Color; Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans","caption":"The cast of 'In Living Color,' from left to right:\u0026amp;nbsp;Kelly Coffield, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Damon Wayans, Kim Coles, Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans (being held by cast), circa 1990.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"cba20b1a-323c-4c7d-8f83-4b94cf870991","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"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.\u0026nbsp;","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"39eb1c5d-9158-43a4-a731-0e0ea4def44b","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"\u003cem\u003eIn Living Color\u003c/em\u003e 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\u003cem\u003e Chappelle Show.\u003c/em\u003e","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9a6cc971-772a-4ffd-bdc3-860df6cf903a","name":"corpnews-blocks/story-grid","attributes":{"posts":"[{\"id\":37902,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/san-francisco-state-student-strike-black-studies\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"The Campus Walkout That Led to America\\u2019s First Black Studies Department\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"The 1968 strike was the longest by college students in American history. 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Jackie Robinson was not the only athlete on the front lines of these changes.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":22324,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/black-music-slavery-protest\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"11 Anthems of Black Pride and Protest Through American History\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"From spirituals to ballads, funk and hip-hop, these songs have provided a soundtrack to the pride and struggle of African Americans through the centuries.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"}]","className":"is-style-3-col","preview":false,"postType":["any"],"cardsHeading":""},"innerBlocks":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These shows helped broaden the range of African American experiences portrayed on television.","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":29221,"template":"","meta":{"video_platform_id":"","video_duration":0,"video_content_rating":"","video_disable_autoplay":false,"curated_related_posts":"","disable_related_posts":"","subhead":"These shows 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She is the former editorial director of \u003cem\u003eLatina\u003c/em\u003e magazine.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n","link":"https://www.history.com/author/damarys-ocana-perez","name":"Damarys Ocaña Perez","slug":"damarys-ocana-perez","taxonomy":"story_byline","meta":{"avatar_image_id":0,"featured_articles":[],"job_title":"","facebook_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":""},"title":[]},{"id":67,"count":546,"description":"\u003cdiv id=\"1680273445.167319\" class=\"c-virtual_list__item c-virtual_list__item--initial-activeitem\" role=\"listitem\" data-qa=\"virtual-list-item\" data-item-key=\"1680273445.167319\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__background p-message_pane_message__message c-message_kit__message\" role=\"presentation\" data-qa=\"message_container\" data-qa-unprocessed=\"false\" data-qa-placeholder=\"false\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__hover\" role=\"document\" data-qa-hover=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__actions c-message_kit__actions--default\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__gutter__right\" role=\"presentation\" data-qa=\"message_content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message_kit__blocks c-message_kit__blocks--rich_text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"c-message__message_blocks c-message__message_blocks--rich_text\" data-qa=\"message-text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer\" data-qa=\"block-kit-renderer\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper p-block_kit_renderer__block_wrapper--first\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_block\" dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"p-rich_text_section\"\u003eAfrican Americans have played a central role in shaping U.S. history. 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