Top 5 Black Television Shows That Shaped My Childhood

In a time like this, it is imperative that we not only stand up for our Black brothers and sisters but to give our whole hearts to them. To use everything that we have to defend and help them. To show that we are right by their sides and that we aren’t going anywhere till justice is served and peace and love reign over us all.

As a child (and of course up to now), skin color meant nothing to me. It did not matter if you were white, black, brown, purple, green. If we live on this Earth together, then we should love and protect each other and thrive wholeheartedly as a unity. Unfortunately, there are people out there who do not have the same mindset.

The Black community is full of incredible and talented individuals that have shaped and influenced our cultures and history since the beginning of time. Having grown up in the late-90s/early-2000s, I am exceptionally grateful for the Black television shows and films that helped mold me into the person that I am today. I’ve always admired the Black community, and literally everything that I’ve come to love (movies, music, food, fashion, lingo, etc) all stem from Black culture.

I’ve always used art (movies and TV shows mostly) as a means of connecting with people. It’s so eccentric and heart-warming to be able to share and talk about your favorite films with someone, to form a bond through what shows you enjoy most and how these media forms changed your life. Art is for everybody and race is especially no exception.

With that being said, I’m going to share the top Black TV shows that I watched as a kid that made me admire, cherish, and support Black people from around the world.

5. Kenan and Kel

Every ’90s kid knows that Nickelodeon’s All That was truly all that! Kenan and Kel was the iconic infamous duo that had us kids laughing till we peed our pants. They were so iconic that producers gave them their own show after watching them goof around on set and seeing their immense potential. They even went on to make the legendary movie Good Burger. Both are still acting today and helping out with kids shows on Nickelodeon (awww!). These two proved that Black boys (and girls) could definitely run the show and become the face of a generation.

4. The Proud Family

Disney’s Proud Family was the first Black cartoon that truly gave me an inside look at a Black family living in America. This show not only tackled issues about adolescence or school but situations that dealt with racism, how society views Black culture, and most importantly: being proud of who you are and where you came from. I also learned that the people you keep around should uplift and help you, and if there’s someone who needs your help, you should do everything you can to shed and share some love and light onto them. This “kids” cartoon show can genuinely teach everyone a lesson or two.

3. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

If you don’t know all the words to this show’s theme song, did you even grow up in the ’90s? Fresh Prince was just so fresh because it was about a kid who was taken out of his bad neighborhood to go live with his super-rich aunt and uncle. First off, it was awesome to see a non-white family living a life that people usually only associate white people with. It was even more glorious to watch this family learn from Will Smith and vice versa since they lived differently. This show taught me that your background and past have nothing to do with where you want to go in life and who you want to be. People can shame you or group you into a stereotype, but it’s up to you to break barriers and carve your own path.

2. Sister, Sister

If there’s anyone I ever wanted to be in life, it would be Roger. Just kidding, I only ever wanted to be like Tia and Tamera growing up because they were the coolest girls ever! Sister, Sister was such a treat as a young girl. It was the more hilarious, more Black, and less romantic version of The Parent Trap. What more could you want? This show took us into the world of not one but two Black girls as they journey through high school and college. It showed us what Black girls go through in this awkward time of their lives and gives us a closer look at the feeling(s) they explore, different relationships they experience, and how they deal with them. They gave us a first-hand look at young Black women and taught us about their culture and identity.

1.  That’s So Raven

This is the number one show that I hold so close to my heart. That’s So Raven was the most hilarious show of them all and I ingested every single episode like my life depended on it. Here, we followed a Black teenage girl who had the mystical power of seeing into the future. Her visions often got her into mischievous situations where her friends and family come together to help solve them. I loved this show so much because we got to see a young Black woman be such a strong leader and become the hero in almost every episode. All Raven ever wanted to do was protect her family and friends at whatever costs and that’s beautiful.

***On a crucial note, everyone should check out the episode titled “True Colors,” which should be available to watch on Disney+.

All in all, I am thankful that shows like these existed and that I was blessed enough to grow up around them and learn the valuable lessons that the writers and actors wanted to teach us.

This article is not meant to say that Black TV shows are the only reasons why I appreciate and love the Black community but meant to spread these individuals’ accomplishments, share their talent, and showcase how influential they are to generations on end. It is also a means of connecting with people who shared the same childhood and feelings. Black people matter to me whether or not they were on a famous TV show. Black lives truly matter and it is up to us, NOW or never, to fight for them.