In honor of February being Black History Month, here are the best five TV shows that showcase different black voices and identities within the 20th and 21st centuries. Some are guaranteed to make you laugh out of joy, engage in debates with your friends and have an open dialogue about race in America.
“Atlanta”
“Atlanta” debuted in 2016 and focused on the lives of inner-city 20-somethings Earnest Marks and Alfred Miles as they navigate the waters of the rap scene in Atlanta. The show provides comedic relief along with features of hometown Atlanta rappers, per Donald Glover the creator. “Atlanta” is currently the only show running that features an all-black writing team. The exhibition includes conversations about the American Dream, race and identity from an African American lens. Glover was awarded ‘Outstanding Directing for Comedy Series,’ the first African American to receive the title.
“Abbott Elementary”
Quinta Brunson is a former Buzzfeed employee that once captivated all our hearts. You might remember her from the viral video of a couple at a movie theatre and Quinta giggling to the camera “he got money!” Brunson started her first television series centered around an impoverished school district in Philadelphia with a majority African American student population. The supporting cast features Tyler James Williams and Janelle James who are both prominent black creators. The series premiered in 2021 with season two quickly following after raving critic approval. “Abbott Elementary” shows the behind-the-scenes of teachers and all the roadblocks experienced within an inner-city elementary school.
“Blackaf”
“BlackAf” hit Netflix in 2020, directed by Kenya Barris who also made “Blackish”, “Mixedish” and “Grownish.” “Blackaf” features a mockumentary of an affluent black family living in California, following the life of Barris and his kids. Barris aimed to comment on the idea of ‘new money’ within black families and the societal expectations that come from it. Conversations within the show include black stereotyping within shows, black men and chains and slavery. “BlackAf” was not renewed for season two with critics upset that Barris did not show the ‘real black experience.’ But it begs the question, what is ‘the real black experience’ and why do viewers expect black creators to categorize their entertainment to make it palatable to viewers?
“Insecure”
Issa Rae blessed HBO with her presence by creating a comedic tv show centered around the awkward life experiences of being African American. Rae created the show in hopes of breaking the stereotype of the strong and loud black woman, which Rae counters with the shy and awkward black woman. Rae draws episode ideas from her own life, partly why the show has lasted five seasons because critics admire the new and fresh takes on being a black woman. “Rae has produced a series that feels revolutionary just by poking fun at the life of an average, twentysomething black woman,” says Eric Dugans from NPR.
“When They See Us”
Netflix released the true story based on the five Harlem Black and Latino men in 2019 that were convicted on false rape and assault charges in the Central Park Jogger Case of 1989. Creator Ava DuVernay focused on adding humanity back to the five men, capturing each individual story after the wrongful convictions. The series relives the traumatic experiences of systemic racism and incarceration centered around the stories of the men. The original men of the trial went on the Oprah Network in 2019 to sit down and talk about their experiences within the American Judicial system as well as their lives outside of wrongful imprisonment.