Black American culture paved the way for many things we see in our everyday lives, including music, food, art, language, and more. More specifically, the part this culture played in television helped influence shows we see now, including those with black actors, producers, writers, and directors. Six shows that have successfully shaped culture, not only in the black community but in society as a whole, are “Julia,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Jeffersons,” “The Cosby Show,” “The Arsenio Hall Show,” and “In Living Color.”
The American television sitcom, “Julia” ran from 1968-1971 and starred Diahann Carroll as the main character, Julia. This series was the first to show a black woman as the main character in the middle class. It broke barriers in so many ways, specifically in the way it challenged audiences by refusing to rely on old stereotypes of black characters like in the ‘50s. Julia, both the character within the show and the show itself, was extremely successful and helped earn Diahann Carroll two awards: the “TV Land Groundbreaking Show Award” and a Golden Globe for Best TV Star.
The black American sitcom, “Sanford and Son” (1972-1977), is known as the first predominately Black cast since “Amos ‘n’ Andy.” The show follows widowed Fred. G Sanford and his son, Lamont Sanford, as they navigate life together. This show had white writers, however, the actors were able to look over each script to tell them what was accurate and what wasn’t. It was also known for its racial humor which was a precursor to many other sitcoms.
The very first series to portray an upper-class black family was “The Jeffersons,” which was on air for CBS from 1975 to 1985. This was another show that broke old stereotypes and allowed their characters to live a successful, wealthy life. It was also one of the first series to have a married interracial couple.
NBC’s “The Cosby Show” (1984-1992) was another predominately black cast that featured the Huxtable family as they went through life. As people of color were underrepresented in entertainment, the series showed an affluent black family leading successful middle-class lives, normalizing Black excellence and diversity.
Creating a sense of community was a huge success as more shows with black casts rose to popularity. For example, “The Arsenio Hall Show” (1989-1994). Arsenio Hall, an actor, comedian, and producer, was the first African-American to host his own late-night talk show. He created a space for black artists, musicians, and entertainers to share their talent, helping define a sense of visibility for black culture.
Lastly, Fox’s sketch comedy, “In Living Color” (1990-1994) created by Keenen Ivory Wayans had a mainly black cast, however, was multicultural due to a few white actors being involved, including Jim Carey. This series helped influence other sketch comedy TV shows like “Chappelle’s Show” and “Key and Peele.”
Black American culture, portrayed through television, not only shaped media but created other long-lasting effects throughout other aspects of pop culture. Opening doors for more diverse storytelling was a huge success starting from the 60s and lasting until our present day.
