Let's pay tribute to the black personalities and shows that broke through, crossed over, made us laugh or gave us a dramatic jolt of recognition about the human condition.
The ones that stand out:
● "Roots" (ABC, 1977). The sweeping, anguished and ultimately joyous epic of Alex Haley's slave ancestors mesmerized a nation when it premiered in January 1977.
● "The Cosby Show" (NBC, 1984-1992). Bill Cosby redefined the family sitcom with a humor that was universal but also glowed with a richly specific black spirit.
● "In Living Color" (Fox, 1990-1994). The groundbreaking sketch comedy — the bold, irreverent vision of writer-producer-performer Keenan Ivory Wayans — infused prime time with a new kind of urban chucklehead kick while introducing such future superstars as Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey.
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● "Sanford and Son" (NBC, 1972-1977). Redd Foxx broke through to mainstream superstardom as hilariously grouchy Los Angeles junk dealer Fred Sanford, who operated his business with son and comic foil Lamont (Demond Wilson).
● "Chappelle's Show" (Comedy Central, 2003-2005). Dave Chappelle took the black sketch comedy to a new level with his own brilliantly subversive twist on the genre.
● "The Jeffersons" (CBS, 1975-1985). Irascible George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) started out as a next-door neighbor to irascible Archie Bunker on "All in the Family." But cantankerous George and his sensible, low-key wife, Louise (Isabel Sanford), grabbed the spotlight in a hugely successful spinoff when the family's dry cleaning business allowed them to leave Queens behind and join the upper-middle class in Manhattan.
● "The Flip Wilson Show" (NBC, 1970-1974). America flipped over Flip Wilson, the first black American to score a major stardom membership card as the host of his own variety show.
● "Good Times" (CBS, 1974-1979). Funny, heartwarming, beloved, controversial. The tales of Florida (Esther Rolle) and James (John Amos) Evans and their three children, a working-class Chicago family struggling to get by.
● "Frank's Place" (CBS, 1987-1988). Cult favorite. Tim Reid ("WKRP in Cincinnati") starred in the charmingly offbeat story of Frank Parrish, a professor of Renaissance history in Boston who inherits a small Creole restaurant in New Orleans.
● "The Richard Pryor Show" (NBC, September-October, 1977). The revolution was televised. Unfortunately, it was also censored and lasted only a month.
