In the aftermath of the George Floyd protests, people are looking for all sorts of ways to help and to educate themselves against institutional racism. People are looking for where they can protest, donate, or learn more about African American culture. As a non-Black person of color, I urge all of you to take the time to educate yourself on what is happening in the news. Please start by reading about anti-racism. Some books to read: How to Be Anti-Racist (Ibram X. Kendi), White Fragility (Robin DiAngelo), The New Jim Crow (Michelle Alexander), I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou). If you would like to educate yourself by watching TV and films, there are a number of great options out there. Some that I would suggest are: 13th (Netflix), American Son (Netflix), Dear White People (Netflix), Black Klansman, If Beale St Could Talk (Hulu), King in the Wilderness (HBO), The Hate You Give (Cinemax), When They See Us (Netflix). I would like to contribute what I know best – great TV characters. As a non-Black minority who works with diverse executives across the industry, I want to take some time to shine a light on some great African American characters on TV. Let’s take a minute to salute Black pioneers who are leading the field by creating great entertainment. Below is my list of the top strong, positive, well-written Black characters on TV today.
Insecure, HBO: Issa Dee (Issa Rae). – Issa Rae’s character on Insecure feels revolutionary because she portrays the true daily life of, in her words, “regular black people living life” (Issa Rae, The Atlantic). Issa Rae shows that, like all other races, the Black experience isn’t a monolith – it can’t be boiled down to a string of jokes or platitudes. She shows that there is no uniform Black experience – and, in doing so, she gives Black viewers license to live freely as themselves.
Being Mary Jane, BET: Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union). – Mary Jane’s character, created by the creator of Girlfriends, portrays a successful, professional Black woman. In this show, we see disparity and depth across Mary Jane’s relationships. While Mary Jane fights her way into a successful career in a competitive industry, we also see the real and current struggles that many successful African American women face in real life. Mary Jane bears the responsibility of taking care of her family, their home, and other people in her life who have not succeeded in the way that she has.
Black-ish, ABC: Andre Johnson (Anthony Anderson) – Unlike earlier sitcoms that portrayed a normal family that happened to be Black (e.g., The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Cosby Show), Black-ish doesn’t shy away from difficult racial issues – instead, it makes them the forefront. Kenya Barris’ character Andre Johnson faces a new, different struggle than what he grew up with – he sees his kids growing up in an all-white neighborhood and sees their culture being diluted. Andre’s character tries to ensure that his family maintains their culture, their heritage, and their values. Episodes topics range from police brutality to stereotypes to slavery to rap jewelry.
Twenties, BET: Hattie (Jonica T. Gibbs). – Lena Waithe’s series depicts a queer, Black aspiring screenwriter in her 20’s. Hattie’s character is the first queer, African American, female leading character on TV. Gibbs’ character tries to maintain her authentic self, without diluting her various identities. Twenties makes sharp commentary on what it takes to make it in Hollywood, and the barriers that unfairly confront Black, female, and queer creators.
Master of None, Netflix: Denise (Lena Waithe). – Denise in Master of None is a sharp, funny character based on Waithe herself. This character and her role in the series was groundbreaking because Waithe told the true story of her own experiences as a queer Black woman. While collaborating with Master of None co-creator Aziz Ansari, Waithe fully wrote her scenes about coming out as a lesbian to her own family, based on her real-life experience. Waithe became the first Black woman to win an Emmy Award for Comedic Writing for this episode.
The Get Down, Netflix: Ezekiel "Zeke" Figuero (Justice Smith). Baz Luhrman’s show about the birth of hip-hop did what most major networks are reluctant to do – it featured a cast of young, non-white leads in a non-wealthy, unglamorous environment. Zeke’s character is a half-Black, half-Puerto Rican poet-turned-rapper growing up in the South Bronx in the 1970s. Netflix’s willingness to realistically portray characters in this time period is a huge departure from most Black characters we see on TV today. The Get Down is beautifully shot, and is the most expensive show that Netflix has ever invested in, at a total of $120 million for the first season.
Honorable mention:
POSE, FX – Blanca Rodriguez (Mj Rodriguez)
St. Elsewhere, NBC – Dr. Philip Chandler (Denzel Washington)
Scandal, ABC – Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC – Vivian Banks (Janet Hubert)
Martin, FOX – Gina Waters-Payne (Tisha Campbell)
Orange is the New Black, Netflix – Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren (Uzo Aduba)
Finding Justice, BET – Docuseries (Executive Producer Dwayne Johnson)
CopWatch: America, BET – Docuseries (BET Network)
TV has a long to go – but we’re proud to recognize these African American creators. I know there are more out there – and it’s time to invest in Black talent. To all Hollywood decision makers: it’s time to invest in and celebrate authentic, strong, truthful depictions of African Americans in mainstream entertainment. **Note: The writer of this article is not African American, but is an entertainment professional and a fan and supporter of Black creators and TV shows.
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