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By Priscilla Wiredu
For decades, Black Americans have fought for proper representation in Western media. As a result, Disney launched their first Black princess in the 2009 hit film The Princess and The Frog, Black Ariel in the 2023 live-action film The Little Mermaid –to name a few recent examples.
The call for greater representation has been a long battle amongst Black Americans, along with the racial backlash they had received when such accomplishments have been made. Here are five historical TV moments that broke the colour barrier and helped pioneer Black TV.
1954 – Arthur Duncan on The Betty White Show”
Renowned Golden Girls actress Betty White made a huge mark on American culture via her TV show Golden Girls. Three decades prior to this huge mark, Betty White had her own television show called The Betty White Show, where she would host weekly interviews with guests of her choosing.
Betty White was an avid fighter for civil rights and fought against segregation. Using her show, she had a recurring guest, a Black tap dancer named Arthur Duncan, where they would engage in hearty conversation. Duncan would also perform small dances during his segments.
Duncan was cited as the first Black man to appear as a regular on a U.S. talk show, and many people in America, especially in the South, had strong feelings about this. Hate mail and complaints called for Duncan to be taken off the show or for the show to be cancelled entirely. White, however, stood her ground. She allowed Duncan, as well as other Black guests, to appear on her show as she pleased. White was quoted as saying: “I’m sorry. Live with it”.
Eventually, The Betty White Show was cancelled due to lack of sponsorship and low ratings. However, White’s choice to showcase a Black man on her show was an amazing stepping stone for Black audiences.
1967 – Eartha Kitt as Catwoman in Batman
ABC’s live action Batman had casted the late iconic actress and singer Eartha Kitt to play Catwoman in its final season. Kitt’s portrayal as Catwoman wasn’t just for entertainment purposes. It was politically driven as well. Deep in the middle of the civil rights movement, and amid the Supreme Court’s striking down of the ban on interracial marriage, thanks to the famousLoving. V. Virginia court case, Kitt playing a provocative antagonist to a White superhero was quite the spectacle of the time.
Many Black Hollywood actors who managed to achieve fame during those times did so by providing positive reinforcements for Black youth. Kitt’s Catwoman launched a legacy of empowering Black women to get into large Hollywood roles, as well as create their own superheroes decades later.
1974 – Good Times
The late renowned American screenwriter Norman Lear made television history when his TV sitcom Good Times debuted on February 8, 1974. Good Times is said to have been the first TV show to depict a real Black family struggling in American life.
Good Times is a staple in Black television because of the way it addresses racial identity and other issues. The protagonist in the series, James Evans Jr., the breadwinner of the family, and his wife, Florida, held authority in their household and were hard-working and loving parents to their children.
Their children each were gifted in their own ways. James Jr. was a talented painter, Thelma was an aspiring doctor and feminist, and Michael was a firm believer in social change and justice. The show referred to figures of Black media, such as Ebony magazine, comedian Flip Wilson, and talented composer Isaac Hayes.
Not only did Good Times portray Black families as beautiful, tight-knit and loving, they also honed in on social commentary when it came to race relations. Despite all these positive attributes, the characters had faced racial discrimination or some form of tokenism that was met with aloofness and disregard. Good Times shows that Black Americans can and do have the perfect nuclear family unit.
1966 – Star Trek
The critically acclaimed TV series Star Trek, which debuted September 8, 1966, was influential not only in its compelling storylines and use of sci-fi lore but also because of the many lessons it taught about diversity and the power of representation. In watching Star Trek, viewers could reflect on society and its attitudes towards marginalised groups, as characters on the show are not just concerned about finding a utopia for humans, but rather about creating one themselves.
The original Star Trek cast had a multitude of diverse characters, including Uhura, played by the beautiful late Nichelle Nichols, a Black woman who inspired many Black viewers by playing a female authoritative role. As if her appearance and acting skills weren’t enough, Nichols and William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, had TV’s first interracial kiss, which aired on November 22, 1968. Despite some pushback from opposing viewers, Star Trek would continue to inspire millions and millions of fans years later.
1969 – Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
A children’s TV show that transcends generations in time and messages, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was an educational show that taught children about love, acceptance, facing your fears, and many other important lessons for growing up. Hosted by the titular character Fred Rogers, many episodes have dealt with serious issues, such as one episode addressing death and grief relating to the assassination of President Kennedy.
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood also took a stand against racial segregation. On May 9, 1969, in response to the banning of desegregated public pools, Rogers let Officer Clemmons, a Black police officer played by Francois Clemmons, soak his feet alongside him in his little wading pool. Clemmons declines, saying he had no towel to dry him off. In response, Mr. Rogers offers to share his towel with him. Clemmons agrees and steps into the water with him. This simple display of humanity taught audiences that people can share things peacefully without race being a debilitating factor. Mr. Rogers Neighborhood single-handedly exposed the bigotry of denying Black Americans their right to access public pools or other places in society.
Television is and always has been an educational media forum. In breaking the colour barrier, these five shows not only serve as entertainment but also as historical reminders of how far we have come as a society with our attitudes toward Black Americans.
Priscilla Wiredu is a writer for this year’s Black Voice project. An alumni of York University, she graduated with Honors where she studied Social Sciences. She then went on to get an Ontario Graduate certificate in Creative Writing from the Humber School for Writers, and a college certificate in Legal Office Administration at Seneca College. She is currently studying for the LSAT in hopes of going to law school. Her main goal as a Black Voices writer is to ensure Black issues and Black Pride are enunciated through her works.