TV in Black: The First Fifty Years

The story

Discover how television has reflected the African American experience in this retrospective of the medium's first half-century. Actors, writers and historians discuss the image of black America on television from Amos and Andy to the present day. The interviews accompany clips from groundbreaking shows and performances by entertainment pioneers that create a timeline of the portrayal of African Americans throughout TV history.

Cast & crew

Muhammad AliSelf (archive footage)

Jonelle Allen

Jonelle AllenSelf

John Amos(archive footage)

Eddie 'Rochester' AndersonSelf (archive footage)

Desi Arnaz(archive footage)

Obba BabatundéSelf

Pearl BaileySelf (archive footage)

Lucille Ball(archive footage)

Harry BelafonteSelf (archive footage)

Patricia BelcherSelf

Willie BestSelf (archive footage)

H. Rap BrownSelf (archive footage)