RESPONDING TO THE MOYNIHAN REPORT, 1965: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY ON TELEVISION IN THE AND 1980s

by

CHRISTOPHER J.P. SEWELL

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honors in African American Studies

WILLIAMS COLLEGE

Williamstown, Massachusetts

May 3,2005 Table of Contents

I. Acl~nowledgements 11. Introduction: 111. Chapter One IV. Chapter Two V. Chapter Three VI. Conclusion VII. Bibliography Acknowledgements

First off, I would like to thank my thesis advisor, Anna Bean, for her help and support while doing this thesis. She was invaluable and I do not think I would have completed this without her. Secondly, I would lilce to thank Merida Rua and Scott Wong for allowing me to engage with the work before I began the actual thesis project. If I had not started some work for your classes I would definitely not be done right now. Thank you again. All 01 my friends and family have been an cxcellent support system and I would not be here without your encouragement and guidance. I would like to thank my Grandma for leading me to the point that I am right now and I wished that she was here to share in my joy. To all my Williams friends, thank you for being there for me when I was down and when I thought I should quit. To the Activities Office, especially Barb, Jess, Anna and Gail, thanlc you for giving me advice when necessary and allowing me to rant when times were hard. You are all my inspiration. Lastly, thanlc you to R. Halloclc Svenslc for helping with some of the editing. Introduction

Television influences the ways in which many Americans gain a sense of the lives

of people with whom they do not have regular contact. While not always representative

of an entire culture or people, the presence of these shows can truly change how society

views such groups and their lifestyles. By the late 1960s, increasing numbers of African

American family emerged out of the Civil Rights Movement. From 1968-71,

shows like Julia, starring Diahann Carroll, appeared on the small screen, putting in front

of American eyes a young African American woman, raising her young child alone after

her husband died in the Vietnam War. In presenting a woman whose husband fought for

the good of the country, and who also held a steady, respectable job as a nurse into the

light, a wave of shows began that promised exposure to the true lives of African

American families. This new wave of shows counteracted images of African Americans on television in the 1950s such as Amos 'n' Andy (June 1951 - June 1953) and Beulah

(October 1950 - September 1953). These depictions often spolte to classic stereotypes about African Americans like the heavyset maid (Mammy) and the shiftless male

(Sambo). While some argue that these images created physical connection for African

Americans, they did not entirely refute any common misconceptions. In most of the other televised examples of African American characters, they were part of the bacltdrop, often relegated to roles that did not empower African Americans. The late 1960s, through efforts of the Civil Rights Movement and television shows like Julia, then helped to push African Americans into the spotlight, proving that not all African Americans followed the formula and stereotypes formerly presented of them. In this work, I will focus on the increased presence of the African American

family on television through three shows in the years following Julia through three

shows: (February 1974 - August 1979), The Jeflersons ( - July

1985), and (September 1984 -April 1992). Each of these shows was

popular in the 1970s and 1980s, and achieved cross-cultural success, bringing the African

American family into the homes of all Americans. African Americans now had a face on

the television screen that had not had, one that was popular and arguably positive. Not

only did these families speak towards the rhetoric surrounding the American Dream, but

they often presented common of which all (or many) Americans were lcnowledgeable.

These shows came at a time when African Americans made significant gains in

the socio-political arena as a result of the Civil Rights Movement. During this time,

African Americans went on the quest for the rights and freedoms that the U.S.

Constitution afforded them. This struggle resulted in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and

the Voter Rights Act of 1965, both of which paved the way for change in the socio-

political as well as economic life for African Americans for years to come. The

legislation that the Movement helped to bring forth also sparlted a surge in interest from

scholars into the problems that kept African Americans in a lower position that white

Americans. This examination was not limited to historians and sociologists; rather, it

became part of a larger project that Lyndon B. Johnson's administration undertool<.

One of the major components of Johnson's agenda was to look at the institution of

the family, especially when thinking about the problems of the African American life, as

the administration felt it was the crux of one's personal existence. Daniel Patrick

Moynihan took this idea to task in The Negro Family: A Case for National Action (1965), breaking down what he felt the problems that affected the African American family at that period of time in hopes that it would spark some debate on what policies should come to light to help combat some of these problems. Moynihan wrote the report as part of the commentary on the "War on overt^".' In Chapter 1, I will delve into the ideas presented by Moynihan and his contemporaries in hopes of providing insight into the ways in which many of these scholars and researchers portrayed the African American family. Many looked to the perceived absence of the African American father and the high levels of unemployment as damaging for the future of African American families.

However, it is also important to think about the past conceptions of the African American family that came to light in such works as E. Franklin Frazier's The Negro Favnily in the

United States in the 1930s. Concurrently, one must question how pivotal the sociological and policy studies of the 1960s and 1970swere in constructing a popular- version of the

African American family.

Good Times depicted a family in the projects of Chicago in the 1970s. The show was a spin off of the popular show Maude, in which their maid Florida

() moved away from the Findlay family to focus on raising her own children and being a wife to her husband James Sr. (played by John Amos). In the small apartment on the 17~~floor, viewers also met their sons James Jr., a.1c.a. JJ (Jimmie

Walker) and Michael (), as well as their daughter Thelma (BernNadette

Stanis). In this setting, we gained insight into the harsh realities of being poor, African

American and living in the ghetto.

' Yuill, Kevin L. "The 1996 White House Conference on Civil Rights." The Historical Jo~~ma141,l (March 1998): 262 The Jefleusons traced a family's move from to "deluxe apartment in the

sky" on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This show was also a Norman Lear spin-off,

this time of the ever-popular . The show focused on George and Louise

Jefferson (Sherman Helmsley and Isabel Sanford, respectively), their college aged son

Lionel (played by and Damon Evans), their maid Florence (Marla Gibbs),

and their neighbors, Tom, Helen and Jenny Willis (Franklin Cover, Roxie Rolcer and

Berlinda Tolbert respectively). In this situation comedy, the Jefferson family had to deal

with newfound wealth as a result of George's growing dry cleaning business. The show

also examined specific issues regarding race through George's relationships with the

Willis', the first interracial couple in television history, as well as his neighbors and

business associates. Again, fresh off the heels of the Civil Right Movement, the show

helped bolster the image of the African American family and the potential for it to be

truly successful.

Lastly, The Cosby Show presented an African American family that was removed

from the situation of being attached to a life in the ghetto or some type of lower class

situation. The Huxtable family, lead by Cliff () who was an

obstetrician/gynecologist and Claire (Phylicia Allen-Rashad) who was a partner in a

leading law firm were certainly upper middle class. The couple had five children: Sandra

(Sabrina LeBeauf), Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theo (Malcolm Jsmal Warner), Vanessa

(Tempest Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keisha Knight-Pulliam). Unlilte the other two shows, race did not take on a huge factor in the building of the storyline; instead, parenting and any other issues that come about when you have five children became the crux of plot lines in this particular . Related to this idea, it is important to lceep in mind the ways in which these shows

portray African American-ness and the issues associated with race on the screen each

weelc. For Good Times and The JeJje'evsons, I would argue that the viewer must note the

performative nature of their acting and the racially based humor. In these cases, we get a

glimpse at African American life not only because of the fact that they are physically

black, but, rather, through the subject matter that they find funny, the ways in which they

carry their bodies and the language that they use when expressing them~elves.~While

some may view this performance as stereotypical while negating the positive aspects that

the shows may offer, the fact that these sitcoms remained popular throughout their entire

run may indicate that it was not so relevant. At the same time, it is important to then

look at these performances as unique to the world of situation comedies, while also

looking past the performance to find the meaning and essence of the African American

family.

Contrastingly, The Cosby Show does not present a vision of this stereotypical

African American. None of the characters are especially loud or use any type of racial

language when addressing anyone on the show. Rather, their African American-ness

comes from a more of a refined and educated view of blaclcness. In this particular vision,

blaclcness comes from a result of loolting at higher arts and a focus on education. The

Huxtable family focused on looking at African American art and jazz as part of their

definition of blackness, while simultaneously raising the awareness and status of certain types of African American popular culture. They also had notable African American

2 In my opinion, these stereotypes included being loud, distorted facial featureslmovements, loud, crass, and quite ignorant to the world around them. At the same time, these stereotypes also included hyper sexuality and the idea that African Americans were quite aloof. This imagery came from American minstrelsy as well as images presented in shows like Arrzos a Andy. guest stars such as B.B. King, and discussed crucial points in African American history

like Martin Luther IOng7s" I Have a Dream" speech and the 1963 March on Washington.

In Chapter 2, I focus on how the economic and social classes that these different

shows inhabit affect their relationship with some of the issues relating to the African

American experience during their shows tenure. Their behavior or expression of

blackness came to represent some of the ways in which they interacted with the world

around them. In my thinking about this relationship, issues of physical surroundings,

education and employment became paramount. On the whole, these different types of

performance and views of black life show that the African American community is multi-

classed and inclusive of different types of people.

Chapter 3 examines how these shows represented African American males-

inclusive of fathers, sons and any guest stars that came on during the shows tenure. Here,

I look at how the portrayal of these men relate to the reality that scholars illustrate in their

discussion of the African American family Most often, these scholars talk about a lack of

a father figure and even if he is around, how the father does not necessarily contribute to

the family in a positive light. In contrast, I talk about the ways in which the main characters on these three television shows presented a positive look at the African

American male influence on the family. The men are still human, not infallible, and the shows present some negative imagery to make them more realistic, occasionally encountering some type of downfall, but always recovering triumphantly. In thinking about these men, it is important to note how they interact with the next generation of

African American males as they are leaders of the African American community. This thesis examines the relationship that these television shows had with the contemporary scholarly information available about the African American family.

While these shows dramatize the life of African Americans through the situational comedy format, they shed light on the realities that African Americans and their families dealt with on a daily basis as noted by Moynihan and his contemporaries. These sitcoms bridge the gap between scholars and the American population. Although they skewed reality on some level, the shows brought a view of African Americans to the forefront of society through the increasingly popular medium of television. While addressing these issues, the shows helped to combat any negative imagery in the minds of Americans with the hopes that it would influence the mindsets of viewers, continuing the goals of the

Civil Rights Movement. Chapter 1: Moynihan and Friends: An Analysis of the African American Family

As described in social science research from the 1960s to present day, the African

American continues to deal with structural problems that result from the historical

injustices faced because of race and the relationship race has with ltey elements of

society-education, economics, and the penal system to name a few. The effects of

unemployment, how the family connects and relates to each other, and support within the

community also become important in examinations on how the African American family

takes shape in the post-Civil Rights Movement era. While this social science scholarship

has provided insight into the lives of African Americans, most Americans have not

gained their knowledge of these families from scholarly readings but, rather, through the

popular medium of television. In this thesis, I will examine the development of the

African American television family during the period of 1974-1992 through several

shows: Good Times (February 1974 - August 1979), The Jefersons (January 1975 - July

1985), and The Cosby Show (September 1984 -April 1992). I hope to describe and comment upon connections between the contrived African American family on television and the social science and policy reports, specifically the Moynihan Report of 1965,

which begin to examine harsh realities that many African Americans face on a daily basis.

One of the most noted scholars on the African American family is E. Franltlin

Frazier, who established modern sociology on blaclt families with his 1930s study, The

Negro Family in the United States. In The Negro Family, Frazier focused on two main problems. First was the dissemblance of the Negro family, which he attributed to experiences in two different locations and time periods in the African American history,

slavery and post-Reconstruction, as well as rural area and urban areas. In his mind,

families in rural areas post-slavery continued to live life in the way they knew how very

similar to their lives during slavery by continuing a dependence on their oppressors

through sharecropping, which economically held them to a situation very similar to their

situation under bondage. Concurrently, when African Americans moved north during the

Great Migration (with the largest flows happening circa 1896-1920), displacement and

dissemblance occurred naturally, therefore influencing their ways of living as African

Americans pursued which ever routes they could to gain the most freedom for themselves

and their families.

Frazier's other main point focuses on the ideas that slavery brought forth the

matrifocal family. In his mind, this type of familial structure was "an adaptation to the conditions of slavery and those of post-emancipation rural and urban southern life. .."

which changed the character and success of the African American family in ~merica.'

Frazier compares this "stream" of the family to the more traditional dual parent patriarchal family which he notes "owned property, enjoyed middle-class occupations, or had independent artisan and craft skl~ls."~In his mind, the dual parent patriarchal lifestyle was more productive, one which African Americans families should begin to emulate if they wanted to find success and stability.

In the time after Frazier, African Americans continued to establish themselves in the worltforce and search for a secure space the American landscape. Paramount to the beginning of substantial change for African Americans were the case Bvown vs. Board of

Gutman, Herbert. "Pers~stentMyths about the Afro-Amencan Family." Journal of Interdisciplinary History 6,2 (Autumn 1975): 185. Ibid., p. 185. Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954), the lynching of Emmett Till in Mississippi (1955),

and the bus boycotts in the South during the mid 1950s, all of which set off the modem

Civil Right Movement. African Americans throughout the country began speaking up

while hoping to make their mark in educational institutions, in the workplace, and in their

daily lives. With the Civil Rights Act of 1964, they could now act on the freedoms and

equalities that the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution gave to them post-Civil

War; the act prohibited the segregation of public places inclusive of schools and any

place that received any type of tax funding. Unlilte before, African Americans now

possessed legal protection from Jim Crow laws, which they thought would be the step

towards the future. Although this was a major movement in the lives of African

Americans in this country, socio-economic disparities that persisted in the years prior to

the Civil Rights legislation continued to plague their lives post-1964165. The transition to

their newly acquired spaces for mobility and equality was not easily navigable considering the racial discrimination that clouded the socio-political atmosphere. With

this intolerance still in place, African Americans would still have to prove that they could sustain themselves in a world that already functioned without recognizing their contributions.

In the midst of this period, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a policy writer for the US

Department of Labor and future State Senator, published The Negro Family: A

Case for National Action (1965) in response to the growing political pressures on Lyndon

B. Johnson's administration to produce tangible results from the new Civil Rights legislation. His report grappled with the continued problems that surrounded the mid- sixties African American family. In the background of his report, Moynihan acltnowledged the longstanding history behind the problems of African Americans, much

lilte Frazer did. To Moynihan, this was the time when America could act most

accordingly ensuring African Americans the support they needed to profit from their

newly articulated freedoms. Moynihan noted that there needed to be a "new and special

effort" made in order for the change to happen, for two specific reasons:

First, the racist virus in the American blood stream still affects us: Negroes will encounter serious personal prejudice for at least another generation. Second, three centuries of sometimes unimaginable mistreatment have talten their toll on the Negro people. The harsh face is that as a group, at the present time, in terms of ability to win out the competitions of American life, they are not equal to most of those groups with which they will be competing.'

Moynihan talked to the idea of a historical pattern of oppression and its affects on the

African American in America. This pattern kept African Americans in spaces where they

always operated on a sub-standard level. As one set of advancements occur, another

hurdle waited for the African American to tackle. Until African Americans operated on

at the same level as whites socially and economically, this system of oppression would , continue.

For Moynihan, this oppression of the African American continued due to an ignorance held by white Americans on the true situations of the African American family.

Moynihan noted that there were two factors that contributed to this level of ignorance.

The first was the growing numbers of visible middle class African Americans, which made white Americans think that there was progress for all African Americans. By grouping all African Americans into one category and ignoring class distinctions, the general public did not see the plight of lower class African Americans. This lack of

Rainwater, Lee and William L. Yancey. The Movnihan Report and the Politics of Controversy. Cambridge: The M.I.T. Press, 1967,45. kinowledge on the part of white Americans included their belief that the African

American family had an extreme level of disorganization, which was at the heart of the

problem that he addresses. From this, Moynihan developed the idea of the "tangle of

pathology." In this idea, he goes into depth about how the matriarchal familial structure

that exists in the African American family is the key to their problems in society.

Because this familial structure was out of sync from the "great majority" of American

families, specifically white America, it imposed on the advancement of African

~mericans.~Due to their difference, white people loolied down on African American

habits and tended to disregard their families as "disorganized" or incapable of positive

performance. He went on to mention the African American middle class and how they

have found the means to achieve because they followed a patriarchal system like the

majority of Americans do. According to Moynihan, this could be a result of education, less children, and the time invested in parenting children.

Moynihan noted several areas in which this whole delinquent familial structure is affecting the progress of the African American in society. In terms of education,

Moynihan examined the idea that African American women often attained a higher level of education that male counterparts. His range of assessment began from school age children until college, where it seems that female students were better students than

4 Ibid., p. 75. Moynihan states: "In essence, the Negro community has been forced into a matriarchal structure which, because it is so out of line with the rest of American society, seriously retards the progress of the group as a whole, and imposes a crushing burden on the Negro male, and in consequence, on a great many of Negro women as well.

There is, presumably, no special reason why a society in which males are dominant in family relationships is to be preferred to a matriarchal arrangement. However, it is clearly a disadvantage for a minority group to be operated on principle, while the great majority of the population, and the one with the most advantages to begin with, is operating on another. This is the present situation of the Negro. Ours is a society which presumes male leadership in private and public affairs. The arrangements of society facilitate such leadership and reward it. A subculture, such as that of the Negro American, in which this is not the pattern, is places at a distinct disadvantage." males. Later in life, this difference can be the direct cause of the disparities in the areas of

income and education-with women having more education, there are more opportunities

available for them in the white collar and professional world^.^ It was this division that

began to cause the internal problems, according to Moynihan. He quoted several scholars

on how this has affected the relations between the black man and the woman. In the end,

many women were not satisfied with the situation of men not working or contributing to

the household economically. As a result, many of these women then chose to be single, to

avoid some of the problems that could arise as result of the educational disparity between

themselves and their male counterparts. At the same time, it was a problem for some of

these men to have wives or partners who make more money or have more education than

them.

Moynihan discussed how this matriarchal system began to impact children,

especially leaving young males, as Moynihan terms, "emasculated under their mother's care. With no strong father figure to help nurture and develop these young men,

Moynihan believed this leads to growing levels of delinquency and crime among African

American men. This idea spoke to the perception that a father needed to present in order to prove productive. While this may be one viable explanation for the development of these young men, Moynihan does not mention the other men besides the father who surround these men, including the possibilities for these black men to provide similar support when necessary.

His notion does speak to a historical alienation of the African American man. He attributed this separation of African American men and the rest of American society to a lack of information found in his main source, 1960 US Census Data. When people went

Ibid., p. 78 out to collect the relevant information, black men were often not in the homes that they

were supposed to be in. When they were and asked about their job situation, they almost

all answered that they were not in the work force. This lack of data makes this situation

tougher for the contemporary scholar to gain a concrete confidence in what Moynihan

tries to articulate.

Moynihan broke his argument into four points. The first noted that "nearly a

quarter of urban Negro families are di~solved."~In this section, he points to the fact

that many women who were married are now divorced, separated or living apart from

their husbands, with the highest rates in the northeast (26 percent of ~ornen).~He

compared these figures with that of white women from the years 1950-60 showing a

significant difference between the numbers of divorce between the two groups with

whites less inclined to engage in the practices of divorce and separation. His second

point stated "nearly one quarter of Negro births are now illegitimate."8 Moynihan

noted that rates are increasing in both the white and non-white worlds: "Both white and

Negro illegitimacy rates have been increasing, although at dramatically different bases.

The white rate was 2 percent in 1940; it was 3.07 percent in 1963. In that period, the

Negro rate went from 16.8 percent to 23.6 percent."" Here he importantly notes that although some African American children are technically illegitimate, they are still a product of two people who are unmarried but in a stable relationship. He also acknowledged that these figures are questionable, dependent on the limited sources from which he attained them. His third idea is that "almost one-fourth of Negro families are

'~ainwater,52. 7 Ibid., p. 54. * Ibid., p. 54. hid., p. 54. headed by ~emales."'~Again, he mentioned the growing rates of divorce and separation

as one of the causes of this, while comparing the rates to those of the white family.

Levels among white Americans were dropping off while there was a doubling within the

African American community. He states: "It has been estimated that only a minority of

Negro children reach the age of 18 having lived all their lives with both their parents."11

Again, this speaks to Frazier's notion that a stable family means a patriarchal dual parent

family structure. Lastly, Moynihan states "the breakdown of the Negro family has led

to a startling increase in welfare dependency."12 At the time of his writing,

approximately 14 percent of black children receive AFDC dollars in comparison to the 2

percent of white children. In two-thirds of these cases, Moynihan said that families cited desertion by the father as the problem. In his mind, there was a correlation with the growing numbers of family on welfare to the levels of disorganization and disintegration of the African American family."

While Moynihan presented these points for his reader, not only in his own words but also through the use of graphs and statistics, there have been questions as to what exactly his numerical data shows. In each of these cases, he noted the figure one-fourth of African Americans fall into the situation that he says plagues their families. While probably statistically significant, does not take into account the different types of African

American families to which he says other studies tend to omit. Lumping African

American families together did not help highlight some of the economic and social

lo Ibid., p. 55. " Ibid. l2 Ibid., p. 58. l3 Ibid, p. 58, 60. disparities that existed. These goals make generalizations about the plights of these

families and about the ways in which the other 75 percent of African Americans live.

Moynihan did discuss the role that the historical oppression for African American

plays in this phenomenon. Like Frazier, he noted that slavery had a significant impact on

the lives of African Americans. Even after Emancipation, African Americans still

encountered hostility in the worlcplace, especially in the case of males seeking

employment. The idea that these men would work for cheaper wages to support their

families threatened many white Americans who were their competitors in the worlplace.

As a result, finding a job was much harder for African American males which impeded

their ability to be the sole breadwinner of the family. Moynihan connected this history

with the general perception about the lack of a strong father figure in many African

American families.

Lilte Frazier (whom he also quotes heavily in this section), Moynihan credits

urbanization as another factor in the dissemblance of the African American family. He states:

Country life and city life are profoundly different. The gradual shift of American society from a rural to an urban basis over the past century and a half has caused abundant strains, many of which are still in evidence. When this shift occurs suddenly, drastically, in one or two generations, the effect is immensely disruptive of the traditional social patterns.14

With the massive migration to the city, the Negro had become more urbanized that the rural family, and more vulnerable to the ills of society. These ills became more complex as a result of the racial inequities that plagued their American existence. It barred them from jobs and homes, forcing some to do whatever they could do to secure a space for

l4 Ibid., p. 63. He goes onto compare this notion to the idea of Irish slums at the turn of the 19" century in New York. their family in their new city; at the same time, the disdain for many African Americans

across the country allowed for these advances to seem as a negative aspect all the time.

From here, Moynihan discussed the effects of unemployment and the wage

system on these families. Citing studies done with white families, he noted that it

appears that having more money means more family stability. He observed "work is

precisely the one thing that the Negro family head ...has not received over past

generations."'5 Throughout the period of 1930-1960, non-white unemployment (as

defined by Moynihan) was always higher than that of whites, especially during the period

of the Depression (roughly 1930-1940). He also mentions that when African Americans

finally did get jobs, they often earn about 53-65 percent of what whites made, partly due

to their race and salaries. Moynihan also revisits his notion of the importance of the factors of divorce and separation. Due to inadequate economic means, he notes that families had to separate or suffer from desertion. Along with increasing levels of birth and illegitimacy, the future for African American families appears to going into an even worse direction.

To Moynihan, the federal government needed to acknowledge the overall gravity of the situation. Noting the deep fissures of the past that have contributed to this situation for African Americans, he called for national action. Moynihan uses his predecessor

Frazier to conclude, acknowledging that the integration of the black male is paramount to the success of any program. Whatever the social program that the country chose,

Moynihan stated that it should say:

The policy of the United States is to bring the Negro American to full and equal sharing in the responsibilities and rewards of citizenship. To this end, the programs of the Federal government bearing on this objective

'"bid., p. 66. shall be designed to have the effect, directly or indirectly, of enhancing the stability and resources of the Negro ~merican.'~

With this statement, Moynihan identifies it as the task of America to shed the racist

policies in order to help the African American family to achieve some success.

While the Moynihan Report brought some interesting information and ideas to the

table, it was not imperfect. Besides the issue of discounting large populations in his

paper through focusing only on the one-fourth of African Americans, his use of the 1960s

census as his main statistical source was questionable. Like the WPA narratives collected

in the 1930s and 1940s, the people who collected the survey data were not necessarily

pursuing all of the correct information or going to all of the places that they needed to go.

There were often discrepancies due to the fact that many of the interviewers were white

and did not necessarily get an accurate view of the lives of these former slaves, due to the

ages of the interviewees and their discomfort when speaking with white interviewers.

Also, in several places, Moynihan uses the term non-white, including his many

graphs, which could include other groups that are not African American. While his findings spoke specifically about the African American population, his terminology leaves room to question if the data only included this particular subsection of non-white.

It also seems interesting that he focused on comparing the middle class white family and their morals to the African American populations that he deems as suffering at the time, as result of their poverty. In many respects, the Moynihan Report attacked the moral character of the African American family in its indictment that African American families were not doing well. The report does not look at how these families are doing

'"bid., p. 94. well. The report also does not delve into comparisons that might emerge between white

Americans in similar socio-economic situations as the African Americans.

Moynihan's report did not give specific details as to how Americans should go

about taking on the large task of instituting the changes necessary to help the African

American family besides a removal of racial constructs that have existed for the past 300

years and continue to plague America in many ways in 2005. This incompletion of the

integration project came to light at the 1966 White House Conference on Civil Rights.

Kevil Yuill, professor of history at the University of Sunderland (United Kingdom),

described this conference as a failure on many levels. President Johnson wanted to bring

some of the most notable names to discuss the issues that Moynihan presented in his

report immediately after his speech at Howard University in June 1965 (shortly after the

Report's publishing). Johnson wanted the conference to help promote the ideas of

equality within the law as establish in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voter Rights

Act of 1965, while also finding ways to implement any ideas that delegates proposed. In

all of the discussions at the Conference, the only thing that the participants seemed to

agree on was that they opposed the ideas of the Moynihan Report. White and black leaders alike did not like its moral implications, although they all agreed that this was an issue that needed attention.

Possibly the most beneficial aspect of the Moynihan Report was that it sparked a series of scholarship focusing on the history of the African American family and the current situation that the blaclc family exists by historians and sociologists. The research of Herbert Gutman, professor of history in the Graduate College of the City University of

New York, focused on families in the period before the Civil War in both the north and the south. Gutman's 1975 work concluded that most black families had two parents and

class did not prevent the unification of these families.I7 Around the same time, John

Blassingame, a historian from Yale University, took a look into slave narratives and their

discussions of complete families under slavery (1971), while Eugene Genovese, a

historian from Boston University, asserted that families and marriages still persisted

during slavery even in the harshest of situations (1974).18 In both of these papers, the

scholarship evidenced a substantial family system for African Americans.

In the field of sociology, several studies pointed to points Moynihan fails to

acknowledge thoroughly or at all in his report. The study of Jerold Heiss, professor of

sociology at the University of Connecticut, in 1975, noted that some of the problems with

the research done in the past created the assumption that African American families fit certain characteristics without trying to challenge these ideas. In his study, he focused on early age at marriage, family size, female dominance, role segregation, multigenerational households, lower levels of aid from ltin and marital stability. For Heiss, these were all markers of some of the economic and psychological problems within the African

American family. Further, there was an inconsistency in the research of the past, and incapability in conlparing groups of blaclts and white. He did aclmowledge there were some differences between black and white American families, especially when loolcing at region and size of homes, but these created no significance change difference in how the black family actually operates.

17 Gutman, Herbert. "Perslstent Myths about the Afro-American Family." Journal of Interdisciplinary Histor-y 6,2 (Autumn 1975): 181-210. l8 Staples, Robert. "Social Structure and Black Family Life: An Analysis of Current Trends." Journal of Black Studies 17,3 (March 1987):267 -286.

- 20 - Shortly after the Heiss publication, Robert Staples, a University of

sociology professor, edited a group of essays on the black family (1978). In this group of

essays, several issues come to light. First, there was the notion that there were more

women than men in the black community, already causing some inconsi~tencies.'~carol

Stack, professor of education and women's studies at the University of California at

Berkeley, talked about the idea that black women had significant power due to this lack

of employment opportunities for black men. Even if they did not want to leave their

husbands or mates, the only way that they could receive benefits from AFDC (Aid For

Dependent Children) was to be single. At the same time, as men were not able to get

benefits on their own, it was hard for them to contribute financially to the family. While

this is the case, Stack argues that the domestic networlcs in which these families often

allows for contact with grandfathers, uncles, cousins, brothers, all of who can have a role

in the lives of these young ~hildren.~'Staples himself asserts in one of his articles that

there is a denial of reciprocal benefits for African Americans, resulting in a lack of

services for these families. In his view, many of the laws in America impose middle- class values on the low-income world, as evidenced in some of the moral assertions of the

Moynihan Report. Staples believed that the reports results had not acknowledged some of the problems at hand but introduced ineffective programs, such as the elimination of welfare benefits for women who have children out of wedlock or the sterilization of

l9 ~ackson,Jaquelyne. "But Where Are the Men," The Black Family: Essays and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1978. 110-117. 20 Stack, Carol B. "Sex Roles and Survival Strategies in an Urban Black Community," The Black Family: Essays and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1978. 124-133; Wilson, William Julius. "The Woes of the Inner-City African American Father," Black Fathers in Contemporary American Society: Strengths, Weaknesses. and Strategies for Change. Ed. Obie Clayton, Ronald B. Mincy, and David Blackenhorn. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 2003. women who have more than one illegitimate child. While some progress results of the

Civil Rights Act, for Staples, was important that the inequities be identified and

reformed."

In a later article in the 1980s, Staples noted that some issues he raised in 1978 still

persist in American society. While men were gaining in high school graduation rates,

and income for blacks was up and illegitimacy rates were down, there were still some

inequities that needed to be recognized. Staples brought to light an important issue, the

sexual revolution, and the impact that it had on the relations between African American

men and women. As a result of the Women's Rights Movement, women pushed for and

gained control of their bodies and sexual destinies while finding a larger space within the

American socio-economic landscape. It was now important to look at how black women

had to deal with several factors which continued to act as deterrents in their access to

stable black men: blaclc men in the military, mentallhealth problems specifically affecting

blaclc men, and unemployment.2"

Lee Rainwater, professor of sociology from Harvard University, added to these

interesting inquiries in his examination of the ghetto. In his reading, he noted that

African American people, although they were often in difficult situations, were not

complacent with their lifestyles. They had tried to be proactive and yearned for many of

21 Staples, Robert. "Public Policy and the Changing Status of Black Families." The Black Family: Essays and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1978. 263-270. 22 Staples, Robert. "Social Struct~u-eand Black Family Life: An Analysis of Current Trends." Jozlunnl of Black Studies 17,3 (March 1987): 267-286. Here it is important to acknowledge that these numbers are increasing in all of these groups. Staples also mentions the increasing numbers of black homosexuals as a detel-rent. While this may contribute tot her problem, one cannot accurately measure the number of homosexuals that are black and the effects that this has on the African American community. This continues to be a problem in the present day as eviclenced in the last election where the issue of gay marriage divided African Americans, as some felt it threatened the idea of a family. same things that many of the middle class white Americans wanted. Again, due to their

lack of economic mobility and racial oppression, opportunities to do so were less.23

Many of the focal points that Moynihan failed to delve into were on the

differences that existed within the African American community. Robert Hill, a senior

researcher at Morgan State University, noted in 1971 that one difference began with the

fact that African Americans are a subculture. They exhibited strong kinship bonds and

tended to have strong work ethics, even in lower class families. Despite being on

welfare, almost three-fifths of welfare supported black women had jobs, and Hill suggested that these families were egalitarian, rather than matrifocal." In this reality, both of the parents pulled their weight in the house, including household duties and child rearing. Being without a live-in male was not a crisis situation for these women; rather, they accessed empowerment.

In 1978, Charles Willie did research with 200+ families around the issue of class.

He chose nine families, randomly dividing them into three socioeconomic categories: middle income, marginal income and low income. In his essay, he described the lifestyles of these families and their outloolcs toward work, education and leisure." In a

23 Rainwater, Lee. Behind Ghetto Walls: Black Families in a Federal Slum. Chicago, Aldine Publishing Company, 1975. 361-426. 24 Hill, Robert B. The Strennths of Black Families. New York: Emerson Hall Publishers, Inc., 1971. 2"illie, Charles V. "The Black Family and Social Class." The Black Family: Essays and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1978. 236-242. According to Willie, the middle class most likely deals with two parents who are both educated and who have jobsW(stableand well paid). They often make between 10-12~a year and both work to help with the jobs of the family. To these families, the home is their castle, often somewhat extravagant because it shows that are economically successful. In many cases, there is little time for socializing for these adults but they support their children by making sure that they have all that they want and need. In working class families, the "struggle to survive requires cooperative effort from everyone." The income range for these families is between six and ten thousand a year and there are usually a slightly larger number of people in the family. To these parents, pride is in providing for the family. In most cases, the parents are literate but don't have much education higher than HS, which is the goal that they often set for their children. There are some limited employment opportunities due to racial injustices. At the same time, there is a certain drive that these people have to succeed and make the best of the situation; this is noted especially in their wanting to similar but more focused study, Alice Coner-Edwards and Henry E. Edwards focused on

defining the black middle class (1988). The researched families were from a diverse pool

of occupations, educational backgrounds and financial standings. To these authors, the

term "middle-class" was value laden and imposed a certain set of guidelines on African

Americans. Due to the differences within the black community, Coner-Edwards and

Edwards though it was necessary for the alteration of the assignment of someone's class

status.26 he^ discussed how there were African Americans who were "new money,"

recently having secured their financial stability, and there were also African Americans

with older, more established economic ties. In these cases, Coner-Edwards and Edwards

discussed that these families have channeled all of their energy into their success and

were doing whatever they can to make sure that they could succeed. To achieve these

standards, they have followed several steps to ensure their success: implicitlexplicit embracing of dominant culture, belief in work ethic; delaying of gratification; strong

sense of self and empowerment; sense of importance in the fact of their blackness; and a high quality in their life pursuits. While doing all of this, the successful African

American families were able to gain mobility, even if it might have had negative aspects on their psychological and familial state of mind.27

While Moynihan brought several lcey issues to light, there were glaring errors and facts that he glossed over andlor neglected to address. In the years following the own homes to gain some consistency. Lastly, these families usually have a strong sense of morality. In lower income families, people must be clever in the way that they live their lives. Morality is often put aside so that the family can live a livable existence. They hope for little and expect for less. Due to their status, change is inevitable and they must be prepared for the worst. In terms of education, most of these people are grade school to high school dropouts. Willie concludes that there is a common value system in black fanlilies but as a result of racial inequities, blacks must adapt to the situation at hand. 26 Coner-~dwards,Alice F. and Henry E. Edwards. "The Black Middle Class: Definition and Demographics." Black Families in Crisis: The Middle Class. Ed. Alice F. Coner-Edwards, D.S.W and Jeanne Spulock, M.D. New York: BrunnerMazel Publishers, 1988. 1- 1 1. 27 Ibid. publishing of his report, many historians, sociologists and researchers began to fill in

some of the gaps and expand upon some of the major points of contention and discussion

concerning the African American family. These post-Moynihan report publications were

indicative of contemporary situations at hand. They also dictated what influenced the

policies that narrated the dissemblance of the African American family while

highlighting some the ways in which these obstacles were fallible.

It becomes obvious that a critical issue in the debate as presented is the presence

of the African American male and his personal struggles and problems. The black male

then becomes a crucial part of how we examine the black family and its progress. As

mentioned earlier, while it is not crucial to have a father in American society, where these

men are and what they are doing greatly affects the image that the rest of Americans hold

of the African American family. Statistically, studies prove that these men are the ones headed to jail, unemployed, and out on the streets; it is important how they can change or become accepted within the mainstream American culture.

At the same time, unlike with the Moynihan Report, when loolung at these television shows, issues of class become a critical part of the conversation. Not all

African American families fit his mold of the ideal American family so it is important that we find a space for the families who do not. Wee should evaluate how their class affects the morals and values that these families have, seeing if they are in tune with the moral decay and decline that Moynihan asserts these families continue to face as a result of the socio-economic position and their race.

By examining these shows, we can take a true look into how the African

American family presented for popular consumption deals with some of these harsh realities that African American families deal with. Interestingly, it is important to think about how the idea of the American Dream comes into these families lives and how they present themselves in each of their particular situations. Good Times, The Jefleevsons, and

The Cosby Show then become important tools in examining how this takes place in front of the American public week by week and how they present notions of blacl

Due to the history of racial injustice and inequity that African Americans

encountered, the American Dream was often quite unattainable. For African Americans

this racism was not necessarily attributable to a specific person but to the "operation of a

social structure in which privilege based on race was firmly inscribed (through the

barrier-ridden class system)."" In thinking about this assertion, class became an

important narrative in how viewers internalized the images and subject matter in front of

them. Loolung at class-one of the areas in which Moynihan glosses over-could

provide insight into the different lifestyles that different African Americans lived as well

as how the issues of race came to complicate (or not complicate) their specific situations.

To begin this study on the African American family's representation in television,

it is important that we breakdown one of Moynihan's weaker points to establish a

framework for how we should examine these families experiences-the effect that class

has on their status within the African American family narrative at this particular moment

in American television history. In these three shows, socio-economic status became a critical way to view their relationship to the idea of the American Dream as well as to

their depiction of blackness. Due to the fact that these shows were developed for popular consumption, their class depictions could have an extreme impact on how viewers related what they see in front of them to the actual situation of African Americans in society.

African American situation comedies then became pivotal, not only because they were

11 Jhally, Sut and Justin Lewis. Enlightened Racism: The Cosby Show, Audiences, and the Myth of the Amerlc~lnDream. Boulder: Westview Press, 1992. 72. often groundbrealng and offered exposure to a once marginalized group; they also

became the way in which African Americans families received criticism while providing

a false view of life, especially for non-black Americans.

Let the Good Times Roll

Norman Lear7s Good Times presented viewers with a situation most closely

related to the life that Moynihan and others argued was the state of African American

family. Living in the projects on the south side of Chicago, the Evans family had to deal

with the hardships of unemployment, being poor, and the effects of the changing socio-

political landscape of America. In this depiction of the African American family, social ills constantly became the focus of many storylines, showing how deeply class becomes an indicator of their racial and living situations.

One of the very first indicators of their social status was their physical placement, the projects. In the minds many Americans, the projects was synonymous with tough black ghettos, plagued with crime and debauchery while laclung social and moral code.

In placing an African American family in this situation, Lear offered a direct correlation to the populations that Moynihan tried to address in his report. This physical placement indicated a certain class and racially based set of ideas in the mind of the viewer. To continue this connection, their home was sparse, their furniture was old and they only had two bedroom, which Thelma occupied while JJ and Michael slept together on the pull out sofa in the living room. In several episodes, the elevator in their building was not worlung so they were forced to walk up to the 151h floor where they lived. Sometimes they encountered the hot water not working or the heat not functioning. These troubles were part of their daily existence coming from and living in the projects. All of this

pointed to some of the hardships that this physical space confined them to.

Their physical space also dictated some of the experiences and people that they

encountered on a daily basis. One of main people mentioned as a part of their joltes was

Ned the Wino, who lived in the gutter and suffered from severe alcoholism. Ned took on

an interesting role especially in the episodes "Black Jesus," where JJ used Ned as his

subject while painting a black depiction of Jesus and "Springtime in the Ghetto," where

the Evans family cleaned Ned up so that Florida could win a clean apartment

competition. In both of these episodes, issues of how to deal with the poor and homeless

became crucial to the situation that the Evans' lived in. JJ, in using Ned as his subject,

made Florida uncomfortable because of what people knew Ned as and the fact that the art

work elevated Ned to the level of Jesus. She would rather pray to or look up to an icon

that was white, with which she had grown up, than loolt at the picture of Ned the Wino as

Jesus This symbolized the idea that one must reject such people as influential in their

daily life in the projects. Later on, the family had to clean Ned up in order to win the competition. Unbeknownst to them, Ned was the husband of the head of the competition committee and thus the reason why Florida wins; it allowed this woman to bring her

husband home now that he was clean. Evidenced here was the idea that despite their class, these people did take pride in their home and that they could not have people who are dirty and living on the streets near their home. There was still an element of feeling superior to Ned while at the same time a moral satisfaction when they see what he loolted lilte cleaned up. Almost always associated with life in the projects is crime and gang violence,

both of which the show addressed through the character of JJ. When JJ had to participate

in a gang fight in "The Gang Part I" and "The Gang Part II," the viewers not only gained

a sense of the pressure that existed to join such an organization, but also, finally get the

chance to see the outside of the sunounding neighborhood. In this shot, we was that it is

quite dark and dirty, not what most would consider a safe and happy place to live.

Although he did not want to fight, JJ had no choice because he avoided all of the previous

fights and because he could easily suffer injury from the gang leader who was bigger than

him. In going to the fight, he ran into his parents, who knew nothing of his affiliation.

James Sr. tried to keep JJ from going, and in the midst of a scuffle, someone shot JJ in his

shoulder. Again, this image of the tough streets around the projects came to light as the

Evans' dealt with a shooting, something that was not on the minds of many white

American viewers on a regular basis.

While this physical space plays a crucial role in how we examine the depiction of

this family and how their class affects their particular situation, we must also evaluate

their actual struggles with money and the changing economic system in which they operated. In the very first episode, "Getting up the Rent," viewers met a family who was struggling to pay the rent as a result of the father's (James Sr.) lack of employment. With the eviction notice on their door, they must find a way to raise the money to pay the rent, while making sure that Florida did not know about it, as she was recovering from surgery. James only made six dollars after taxes the week before, which surely would not pay the rent for the month. The children were all willing to make whatever sacrifices necessary to ensure their apartment, but James Sr. refused the money and wanted to find the money on his own. In his mind, he was the one responsible for both the family's well

being and their lack of a consistent cash flow. He therefore must be the one to solve the

problem.

In the midst of this, there was the discussion of going on welfare. For Florida,

this was unacceptable but she was willing to swallow her pride and do what it takes if it

was the only way to obtain the money that they needed. When she went to apply, the

welfare officer told her that James made too much money in the previous year and the

family was thus ineligible for benefits. When thinking about Moynihan in comparison to

this situation, there are several parallels that come to light. First, the idea of the black

father and his impact on getting welfare benefits did prove to be somewhat true in this

particular case. His presence became a roadblock. Despite the fact that James Sr. did not

make that much money, the notion that every penny counts played into their situation

when it came to requesting welfare benefits. Even though this was noted, Florida's

ambivalence in going to the welfare office talked to the willingness of the women whose family had financial hardships to go down and actually obtain welfare benefits. In this case, it was not just a woman who is lazy and did not want to work, but whose family continued to struggle with the injustices that came about as a result of their race and class.

On this same note, James Sr. encountered another form of governmental discrimination when he got an interview at a local department store in "Florida's Big

Gig." Mrs. Rogers, played by Charlotte Rae, virtually promised him a sales job as she loved everything that he had to offer. When James brought Florida to the interview, Mrs.

Rogers had to hire her instead because the company needed more women at the ~orli~lace.~~With this as part of the problem, James became a victim of the changing

policies that keep him from a job that he was excited about and for which he was

qualified.

Moynihan's moralistic condemnation of these families as a result of their socio-

economic status did come under attack in the show. Previously, scholar Charles Willie

tallied about the lower income black family having to put "conventional practices of

morality.. . aside for expedient arrangements that offer the hope of a livable existence.""

Even though this may have been the case in some areas, Good Times changed the moral

view of the African American family while it was under the watchful eye of the

American public. In "God's Business is Good Business," the viewers met James Sr.'s

long time friend Reverend Sam (played by Roscoe Lee Browne), a television evangelical

preacher who brought his show to Chicago. When introducing him, James Sr. recalled

that Rev. Sam was a great crapshooter when they were in the army. Florida found this

whole process and idea to be blasphemous. In her mind, how could a person who claimed to be a man of God console people while talting their money? Religion was not something that he should take lightly and Florida did not approve of playing with human e~~ectations.'~Even more troubling to Florida was the idea that with all of the money that he made off the black community, he did nothing to benefit their cause, merely perpetuating the poorness of people in similar situations to that of the Evans family. He drove into the projects with his big new Cadillac and had not found problems with what

32 This could have been a result of Title VII which prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also practices that have the effect of discriminating against individuals because of their race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. Due to a lack of women in the past, the company probably needed to increase their numbers of female employees. 3%illie, Charles V. "The Black Family and Social Class" The Black Familv: Essavs and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc., 1978. 240. 34 This idea is also evidenced in the episode "Black Jesus" as mentioned earlier. he was doing. While James Sr. and some of the other members may have foundd this

lifestyle appealing, Florida acted as the voice of reason, allowing them to see the ills of

this particular scheme; in the end, she was the catalyst for James Sr. not talung the job

with Rev. Sam. James could not see himself running a hustle on the premise that many

of these poor African Americans people really believe that Rev. Sam helped them in this

spiritual way.

This particular example spealcs to the idea of how important a show lilce Good

Times could have on a changing popular opinion on African American families in this

particular socio-economic situation. As evidenced in the last presidential election, the

moral fabric of the family and the American character is a crucial issue and continues to

become paramount in how we determine whether or not a specific group suffers from any

sort of marginalization. Here, the fact that Florida and James overcame their monetary

problems showed viewers that there was a possibility for families to value hard-earned

money; they were not going on the streets and doing something inappropriate. Both

parents constantly told JJ that he should not go out and "find things" any more, as it was not the right way to handle one's life. James' persistence in the job market again pointed to this portrayal of an African American family who would not succumb to the temptations that the ghetto might have on people. The Evans family made sure to show that despite their situation, they lived a relatively peaceful coexistence with one another.

Since I am using Good Times as the first television show in the post-Moynihan era, it is important to aclaowledge one of the key points of contention that began the whole Civil Rights Movement: education. As Moynihan pointed out, there was a difference of educational levels within the African American community, which were much greater than that of their white counterparts. With Brown v. Board ofEducation of

Education Topeka, Kansas (1954), the interest and push for equality in the education

system began. In Good Times, the Evans' dealt with some of these problems and changes

within the educational system, again highlighting that not all families living in their

situation disregarded the importance of a firm education for their children or themselves.

Young Michael's education became the subject of a couple of episodes; this was

especially the case since he wanted to become a Supreme Court Justice. As a result of his

intellectual and occupational aspirations, Michael worked hard in school, which paid off

when the principal of his school informed his parents that he was a candidate for busing

to a better school district in "If you can read this sign.. ." While Michael disagreed with

what was going on, Florida and James Sr. recognized the value that busing can have on

Michael's future. Michael boycotts the whole idea by piclteting. Michael also does not show his parents the letter that his school sends and when the school hears no response, the principal comes over to inform Florida and James Sr. While it might be a great change for Michael, his father made it clear what a great opportunity this would be for him and explained the value and use that a great education could be to him and his aspirations. In the end, he went to the new school and was ready for the tran~ition.'~

Michael's education was also subject of the "IQ Test" when Michael purposely walked out of an IQ test because of his belief that the test was discriminatory towards minorities; he referred to it as "a white racist test" that "tells you how white you are." His criticism of the test is one that many African Americans would argue continues today and specifically juxtaposed the ways in which Moynihan cliscussed African Americans

'35 It is important to note that this is the only time that we hear about Michael and going to thls new school For the rest of this season, there 1s no mention of this change or the effects that thls change dnectly hds on his educational experience involvement in their family. Instead of pointing to the government and what it was doing

wrong, Moynihan pointed it to the African American family. The episode responded to

this notion when Florida and James Sr. went to the Chicago Test Board offices and

disputed the results of Michael's test. When they arrived, the man was so busy crunching

numbers that he failed to listen to their argument. In his mind, the numbers held the

answers to all of the questions asked, unfortunately when presented with an IQ test

written for African Americans, he could not get the answers correct. On some levels, one

could compare Moynihan with the man who continuously used numbers for his

explanations. As noted before, Moynihan's emphasis on the 1960's census data was a

point of contention for many observers, like this man who relied on this one particular

test. Both men were not mindful of the different situations that existed, in order to place

a label on particular students who did not do well on the test.

Thelma added to the conversation when she won a scholarship to the prestigious

Allison School for Girls. While this was an excellent chance for her. issues of race

clouded the possibility of her going. This whole phenomenon is no longer as unusual

with programs like A Better Chance and Prep for Prep; it could liave lead Thelma to a

great college opportunity.'6 unfortunately, while this was an affirmative action

36 "Prep for Prep is a long-term investment strategy to develop the leadership potential of able young people from segments of society grossly under-represented in the leader-ship pool from which all of our major institutions draw. By expanding the nation's leadership resources, we aim to impact indirectly on a set of inter-related problems that threaten to rend our society. Prep's strategy is to identify talented students from minority group backgrounds, prepare them for placement in independent schools, and provide a sense of community, peer support, critical post-placement services, and a range of leadership development opportunities. The Prep Community includes over 3,000 students and alumni." (www.prepforprep.org) "A Better Chance is a preeminent national resource for recruiting, identifying and developing leaders among people of color-African-American, Latino, Asian-American and Native American-in the United States. Through a unique assessment model, A Better Chance refers academically talented students entering grades 6 though eleven to some of the nation's finest independent and public schools to be considered for placement and financial aid. Students who are successfully placed in one of our 200+ member schools become a part of the signature College Preparatory Schools Program, and receive access to expanded educational and leadership opportunities." (www.abetterchance.org) situation-another post Civil Right Movement to include underrepresented minorities-if

she went to the school she would help fill "the coon quota." (This is how the white

sorority girl who tries to convince Thelma refers to affirmative action). While viewers

first saw a girl excited the educational possibility, Thelma was ultimately disappointed in

the fact that she was of value because of her color, not because of her intellect. Again,

looking at Moynihan and others who criticized the African American family and their

views towards education, this situation exemplified the missing link that was not in their

equation: how African Americans really felt in these situations. It was not just a question

of going to these schools and maintaining one's personal and mental health but how they

were accepted in their new settings.

JJ, while not as smart or successful as his two other siblings, contributed to this conversation on education in the episode "JJ, The Senior." When JJ came home with a

"passing" report card when they know he should not be doing well, Florida and James Sr. began to ask JJ questions about certain topics, none of which he could answer. Both were quite disappointed as they just wanted him to attain a high school diploma, the first in the family. They then went to school to find out why he was passing only to learn that he was a product of social promotion due to a lack of funding and staffing. Instead of sitting back and being complacent, they demanded that he remain in the 1 lth grade for another year. Ultimately, the decision was JJ7sand he chose to move onto the grade.. Both parents actively engaged in JJ's education, which Moynihan did not seem to acknowledge in his report. In this case, we saw that the child was not just left to fend for himself but that the family took active interest in what is going on, not only for the child, but for the family. For the viewer, this helped to change the perception of the lowest class of African

Americans as a class simply dependant on the state to viewing a family who actively

worked to change their situation. The Evans family, who fall under Moynihan's targeted

population, were subject to certain issues and problems due to their socio-economic

situation and physical environment. In the end, the Evans triumphed in presenting a

family in the ghetto who was happy and tried their best to overcome adversity,

counteracting the picture that Moynihan presented in his work.

The Jeffersons taking the steps on up!

Again working with the African American family, Norman Lear introduced

America to the middle-class Jefferson family. Formerly residing in Harlem, the family

taltes the step by "moved on up" from Harlem to a "deluxe apartment" in the Upper East

Side of Manhattan; this was a result of 's growing dry cleaning business.

It was through this movement in class and physical space viewers got a sense of how their family dealt with life. Unlike Good Times, The Jeffeevsons presented viewers with a family that was outside of Moynihan's targeted group. At the same time, knew what it was like to live in poverty and in certain social situations.

Though they were part of the middle-class, The Jeffeevsons introduced a family that still dealt with problems and issues related to their race in their new class. In the very first episode, "A Friend in Need," one of the maids in the building, Diane, thought that Louise was the hired help for the new Jefferson family, not knowing she was actually

Louise Jefferson. In their conversation, Diane talked about the cordialness and comfort that she received in Louise's company, stating that it was great to "have someone lilce you to talk to." Louise was a black woman with whom she could relate to due to her perceived social class; when Diane found out that Louise was not in her social class, but rather a potential employer she became increasingly more uncomfortable and left the

Jefferson's apartment. This highlights the interaction between African Americans of different socio-economic levels. The Jeffersons recent socio-economic progression situated them between the world of Moynihan and the class that they aspired to become.

This relationship became a focal point in the show's themes and episodes.

Although Louise did not want to hire help, George told her that people of their newly found status deserved to have a maid since they could now afford it. In George's mind, there was now a distinction that separated him from Diane and other African

Americans of that particular class, even though it was a lifestyle that he once lived.

Louise then took on the role of the bridge builder. She understood the plight of African

American families and people in the situations that Moynihan and his peers examined-a socially and economically depressed group of people. Throughout the show, she was the voice of reason, helping George see that he could not forget where he came from.

Reluctantly, Louise gave into the idea that George suggested, but received retribution when the fast-talking Florence, played by Marla Gibbs, came to work for the family.

Her sass and extreme zest for the job won Louise over and was only topped by her quick thought as the show ended: "How come we overcame and no one told me" in reference to the wealth and lifestyle of the Jefferson and their neighbors , the Willises.

It was through characters like Diane and Florence that viewers got to see how the

Jefferson family not only dealt with middle class African Americans, but, also, any people from other socio-economic groups with which they chose to associate. This factor became crucial when thinking about the ways in which the African American family acted as not only as a nuclear family but as also an extended family, including close

family friends. Robert Hill, senior researcher at Westat Inc., noted that in the 1970s,

there was a growing number of black extended families and very strong kinship bonds

within the African American With these bonds, African American families

worlted together with their friends and peers to malte sure that everyone in their circle

survived.

The Jefe'evsons presented the idea of a supportive familial network in several

episodes. Lilte Good Times, education was very important in George and Louise's

bringing up of their son Lionel, combating the idea that there was a lack of educational

curiosity among the African American population. Despite their lack of education and

their newly found wealth, the Jefferson family demanded the best from their son, letting

him know that the way to get a head in the continually white business world was through

education. In his quite specific study, Moynihan did not acltnowledge the African

Americans who do achieve despite their settings nor does he highlight where this

problem persists the most. Although Lionel was already in college, they continued to

make sure that he was doing his best. His parents were not the only people who

influenced his decisions and helped to guide him. In the episode "Lionel the Playboy,"

Mother Jefferson became influential, letting Lionel realize the importance of a college education at a time when he considered dropping out. She was the family matriarch so

Lionel listened to her because he knew that she valued his success greatly. He could not avoid her especially because she visited in almost every episode, making it hard for him to not have to face his grandmother and possibly know what she is thinking. Later, in

37 Hill, Robert B. The Strengths of Black Families. New York: Emerson Hall Publishers, Inc., 1971.

- 39 - "Lionel Cries Uncle," Louise's Uncle Ward, called an "Uncle Torn" by George and

Lionel, became his saving grace. When Lionel got kuclted out of school, Uncle Ward

tells Lionel what exactly he should do, while at the same time he gives Lionel a lesson on

whole idea of being black during the times that he, Ward, grew up. He showed how times

changed and how Lionel needed to be thankful and strive for the best, as his predecessors

fought hard to make opportunities possible.

In the examples above, there was a focus on how extended family shaped the lives

and experiences within the African American family; at the same time, the Jefferson

family acted as a resource for others around them. In the episode "Florence's Problem,"

the Jefferson family tackled the issue of a female suicide. Florence was unusually happy,

talking as if something was going to happen to her. This worried Louise and some of the

other family members. In the end, Lionel caught up with Florence before could talte

action and he brought her back to the apartment. In doing so, the Jeffersons and the

Willises let her know how much they valued her and how she was like a part of their families. In their mind, Florence should not focus on the men who caused her these problems but on the fact that she always had a place in their home. The whole idea of strong kinship and extended families turn out to be crucial to the African American familial experience, a difference that Moynihan argued was harmful, but as seen here can be quite positive.

Besides this look at the extended family, The Jefleevsons highlighted class issues in their relationships with people from their former neighborhood. As mentioned before, although they made the physical move to this "deluxe apartment" in the sky, they still maintained close ties to their past. In the episode, "Former Neighbors," George and Louise had a conflict when their good friends from Harlem came for dinner the same

night that George invited a black socialite over. In George's mind, these two groups

could not mingle. He hoped to call his friends before they came but Louise reminded

him that they could not afford a phone. Before he could find a way to stop them, they

arrived, making his battle harder. Despite George's coaching, when the socialite arrived,

the two classes clashed, which lead George to send the socialite home for disrespecting

his old friends. In this particular situation, the instincts that they learned in Harlem were

useful; there were certain core values that George and Louise espoused and adhered to.

Despite the economic differences between the two families, they all knew how to act in

certain situations.

One issue that came out in The Moynihan Report that The Jeflersons combated

was that having money was the way to solve some of the problems that existed within the

African American community and would bring these families peace of mind. Alice

Coner-Edwards and Henry Edwards, in their introduction to Black Families in Crisis: The

Middle Class, pointed to the idea that as African Americans gained more money, the

more stability they achieved. This was not always positive as families could suffer from

identity confusion, guilt, too much work, or lack of nurturance, anxiety and insecurity.38

In The Jeflersons, it became clear that on some levels George suffered as a result of his

newfound wealth. As evidenced above in the episode "Former Neighbors," because of

his class, George has to find a way to reconcile his differences that existed between him and his past. While he may have wanted to look down on them for the lifestyles that they lived or the ways in which the presented themselves, he always came to the realization he

38 Coner-Edwards, Alice F. and Henry E. Edwards. "The Black Middle Class: Definition and Demograph~cs." Black Famllies in Cr~sis:The Middle Class. Ed. Alice F. Coner-Edwards, D.S.W and Jeanne Spulock, M.D. New York: BrunnerIMazel Publishers, 1988. 1-11. related the most to these people. Money then on some levels functioned as a problem for

the African American family, showing that there could be some consequences for gaining

success, especially for families lilce the Jeffersons-those who acquired their money an

were not a product of established African American families.

The Jefleevsons also presented issues of race and class when thinking specifically

about the interracial couple, the Willises, and where they fit in during the debate of the

African American family. Some literature noted that African American men dealt with

so many outside forces that worked against their inclusion in their families. In these

cases, women acted as "strategists," figuring out the best situation for her and her

potential offspring.39 One could attribute this whole phenomenon to the increased levels

of African American men in the penal system as well as the difference in education levels

between African American men and women. In this case, Helen became an example of

an African American woman who married outside of her race in order to ensure a fruitful

and successful life ahead. It was evident that throughout The Jeflevsons she maintained a

connection to her blackness and did not "sell out." Despite her constant squabbles with

George, Helen lcept a connection to Louise, becoming her friend. Interestingly, in her

squabbles with George, she always questioned why Louise would marry such a man.

Despite his success and current wealth, George lacked the couth required for having such social status.40

George's relationship with the Willises and the ways in which he interacted with them also brought to light issues of his relationship to his past. As a product of his life in

3 0 Stack, Carol B. "Sex Roles and Survival Strategies in an Urban Black Community." The Black Family: Essays and Studies Second Edition. Ed. Robert Staples. Belmont, California, Wadsworth Priblishing Company, Inc., 1978. 125. 40 I would argue that his level of couth was tied to the comedic value of his character. Being too proper would have taken away from his humor. Harlem and African Americans relationship with white America, George had to deal with

Tom Willis' whiteness. Instead of accepting the relationship, as times were changing, he

took every chance that he could get to berate their interracial marriage. Even if George

liked Tom, the fact that Helen married a white man greatly bothered him. Every time that

the Willises had an argument, George always insinuated that Tom would eventually slip

up and call Helen a "nigger." George voiced his displeasure every time they came over,

as their presence annoyed him. Despite his wanting to befriend white people lilte rich

bank owner Mr. Wittendale, a non-binding business relationship was all he wanted,

where he could retire to his own world after any dealings.

Interestingly, George did not have many jokes about Jenny Willis, who was

dating Lionel. Even though she was of mixed heritage, the actress who played this role

looked black. Even though he jolted on the family, he never toolt a stab at the

relationship that his son was in. George's move up the social Iadder does not make him

lilte white people any more than he did when he was of the worlcing class. No money in

the world would have changed how he really feels about white people. He remembered

what whites did to African Americans in the past and harbored a resentment to them as a

result.

Black in Brooklyn: The Cosby Show

September 1984 brought forth a change in the landscape of the African Amer~can family's depiction on television. Unlike The Jefferso~zsand Good Tinzes, Bill Cosby's

The Cosby Show introduced a new class of blacltness into the American home. The show occupied the opposite end of the spectrum than the one presented by Moynihan and his contemporaries. No longer were families struggling to make ends meet, fight~ngoff landlords when the month's rent was due or trying to find one's place in the midst of a

"moving on up." The Huxtable family had made it up the ladder of success and reached a

very high level of success due to the doctor-lawyer parent combination. As a result of

their upper-middle class background, The Cosby Show explored another side of the

narrative of emerging African Americans on television.

While set in Brooklyn, The Cosby Show placed the African American family in a

predominately white area. When thinlung about the images presented of black Brooltlyn

in many other television shows and movies, the Huxtables occupied the other side of the

fence. Immune from the ills of society, The Cosby Show became part of what Herman

Gray defines as an "assimilationist" mode of blackness that emerged in the 1980s. In this

definition, it "emphasized core elements such as individualism, racial invincibility,

professional competence, success, upward social mobility, and the routinization of the

racial issue. Absent were representations of black collectivity ..., racial conflict and

struggle, as well as 'black situations and viewpoints that provide different and competing

alternatives to the dominant assimilation model.' "41 When thinking about this whole

idea that Gray presented to the reader, The Cosby Show became an example of an African

American experience that was challeneged due to the upper-class nature of the family.

As mentioned before in the discussion on The Jefevsons, money and the upward mobility

depicted in the show became the catalyst for a change in the perception of the family ancl

what it presented for the viewer in each episode.

Importantly, the subject matter of the show tended to present a very race-less view of the African American family. Bill Cosby's hiring of Alvin Poussaint, an African

41 Staiger, Janet. Blockbuster TV: Must-see Sitcoms In the Network Era. New York: New York University Press, 2000. 146. American psychologist, ensured that there was no negative imagery of African

Americans. The Cosby Show focused on the ideas of parenting and made sure that there

was a universality for viewers. According to Cosby, "It may seem I'm an authority

because my skin color gives me a mark of a victim. But that's not a true label. I won't

deal with the foolishness of racial overtones on the show. I base an awful lot of what I've

done simply on what people will enjoy. I want to show a family that has a good life, not

people to be jealous of."" With this statement, Cosby noted that his project was not to

provide a "black show" for popular consumption but one that happened to have African

American characters.

This was evident as the credits played in the beginning, as the viewer saw a

happy, stable African American family out for a day in the park. The family arrived in a

rather worn van, each person emerging as their named flashed below. In the midst of all

of this, the family played football, baseball, and lovingly took part in this family day;

everyone was able to participate in the festivities, including the pre-school Rudy. During

this scene, it became clear that the Huxtable family had time for leisure and that they

were a true familial unit. There was a mother and father who enjoyed time with their

children, not the image of a broken or single parent household. At the same time, the

opening of the show promoted the idea that the African American family could engage in

the same activities as white families, especially as a result of their class. Instead of being in the projects or in a high rise apartment, the family can enjoy the day outdoors, relatively safe from any of the issues that plague families like the Evans of Good Times.

As the show progressed, the openings continued to play a crucial role in thinking about

42 Gray, Herman. Watching Race: Television and the Struggle for "Blackness." Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press, 1995. 80. how we view the Huxtable family. From standing in front of a fake Apollo marquee to a

Caribbean theme opening, these opening sequences implied a very upper middle class

indulgence on being sophisticated. As the openings got progressively inore detailed, they

reflect on the classed nature that The Cosby Show espoused.

It is important to mention the fact that they Huxtables lived in Brooltlyn, as it is

crucial to examine the physical space that they inhabited, the brownstone. During my

childhood, the brownstone was the epitome of a upper class living. I dreamed that one

day I would be able to own a brownstone, partially due to The Cosby Show but also due

to the fact that I knew they were worth a lot of money and were historic landmarks. At

the same time, the brownstone allowed for the Huxtable family to truly show off their

comfort as well as their class. Unlike the stuffy, small apartment in Good Times, the

Huxtable children each had a bed and shared a room with, at most, one other person.

Cliff and Claire's bedroom was quite large; it also had its own bathroom. Even when

thinlung about Tlze Jeffeusorzs, their apartment was quite small since it was their first step

out of the ghetto. It seemed as if the Huxtable family reached a plateau in the realm of

the urban black economic experience, a home with three floors, full dining room, Ititchen,

and beds for all of the people that lived there. This becomes increasingly interesting as they acquire more and more family members took residence in the house for short stays.

The brownstone was a marker of their wealth.

This physical space also mitigated the ways in which the family operated, contesting some of Moynihan and his contemporaries' views on the role of the father in the family. As a result of their jobs, Claire and Cliff had potentially flexible schedules.

Both parents tool< a vested interest in the lives of their children. In the plot episode, the Huxtable family lived in a very different house. When shown from the outside, it loolced

a brownstone but when we look inside, we encountered what lool

obviously, this change dealt with portraying the accuracy of what the inside of a

brownstone looked. This was not the only difference that emerged in this episode. Here,

the viewer saw Claire at home with the children, wearing an apron. While we do hear

that she was lawyer at a prestigious law firm, this depiction made her fit in with the

whole Leave It To Beaver mold that Moynihan asserted African American families

deviated from. Cliff then came home to family as the "normal" father would after a long

day at the hospital. In this situation, they latched onto what the ideals of the American

Dream insist was the way in which a family could be prosperous.

But, as the show progressed, almost by the next episode, this whole situation flipped. As we viewed into the house, we saw a gold plate that aclcnowledged that Dr.

Heathcliff Huxtable, M.D.'s office was inside in the house. With his office situated in the basement, Cliff could take on a larger role in the household, helping to change the image often associated with the African American father in these households. Due to the flexibility of his job and the fact that he essentially ran his own business, Cliff became the person who the children turned to when they had major problems or needed attention.

Throughout the show, his opinion and merit in this position went under evaluation several times In the episode "Rudy's Sick," Rudy got the flu on the day that Claire had her partnership interview. Claire initially said she would just reschedule but Cliff stepped in and said that he would be home. This gave Cliff a chance to prove that as an African

American male, he still lcnew how to take command in the home and do things that any mother can do. In this case, Cliff was not emasculated by the work that he did. He showed that the African American male had a space within the household. Cliff's

presence also allowed someone to constantly make sure that the children had someone

around. He was there to answer questions and make sure that Claire was not stressed. As

he was the main character and the show was named after him, Bill Cosby and his parental

anecdotes became the central point to the shows continuance and popularity.

One of the main anecdotes that Cosby asserted was the importance of education,

as seen in the other two shows. In The Cosby Show, this focus on the educational

excellence took shape in different ways. Throughout the show's run, Cliff and several

other characters wore shirts from different colleges including the fictional Hillman where

Cliff and Claire went and Temple University where Cosby himself went. While not

explicitly stating that African Americans should take a vested interest in their educational

experience, it still placed those names in the minds of not only the viewers and the

Huxtable children.

Several episodes dealt with the children's academic pursuits and interests. Early

on in the show, Cliff showed Theo the importance of doing well in school, something

which I will delve deeper into in Chapter 3. Besides the constant struggles with Theo and

school, The Cosby Show showed the kids excited for the first day of school in the first episode on the second season. Here, they were all excited to go to school for different reasons whether it be the removal of Denise's braces, the first day of Icindergarten for

Rudy, the first day of junior high school for Vanessa or meeting lots of new girls for

Theo. While all had different reasons in the beginning or lost their zest by the end of the day, this particular display allowed young viewers to see that there could be a reason to go to school, no matter how trivial it was. While school may not be the easiest thing, these children were ready to go to school, often the hardest step for African American

families.

In "Breading with Tradition," Denise faced the decision of where to attend

college during visit from their grandfather Russell (played by Earle Hyman). The first

Huxtable daughter, Sandra, who did not appear at all during the first season, was off at

Princeton, an ivy-league institution. While this as something that the Huxtable family

could not deny as an amazing accomplishment, Russell pushed the idea of Denise

attending the historically black Hillman where he, Cliff, and Claire matriculated. In this

conversation, he noted that by going to Princeton, she would become nothing and that

there was no need to pay fifty thousand a year when one could pay ten thousand at

Hillman. This criticism of Princeton brought attention to the fact that there was no need

to attend a white institution in order to gain a proper education and that there was a long-

standing educational history in the African American community. This education would

not only be firm and teach a person their ABC's but also would help an African

American become comfortable with who they were and what they wanted to do when they finished school. This whole debate exposed the issue of the African American in the college landscape, where one could flourish and with some hard work and perseverance, make it to the top. By going to a historically black college, Cliff and Claire did not suffer.43

At the same time that they showed this image of the African American doing well and aspiring at school, they tackled some of the issues that arose when people were not attentive to their work. While the topic was not specific to the African American

41 Denise's college experience becomes a spin-off called A Different World, which follows her life at Hillman. Denise only stays in college for a short time before moving to Africa. When she returns she has a husband and a step daughter, later going back to school for education. community, these issues presented in the show provided a positive example for some of

the younger people who watch the show. In the episode "Theo and Cockroach," both

young men used "Cleveland Notes," a version of Cliff's Notes, in order to help them pass

a test on Macbeth. While Theo's effort was successful since he gets a C on the exam, he

has not passed the final test. Claire let him lcnow that she would be giving him her own

test on Acts 1-5 of the play. By doing so, Claire reinforced the bellef that one should

work hard in school and not take the easy way out. By doing so, one was not learning

what they needed to learn which would not lead them to the levels of success that she and

Cliff achieved.

Aside from education, The Cosby Show, while an upper middle class family, did

live by the value of frugality when living life. In some ways, their house and Sandra's

education was the most money that they spent during the tenure of the show. While Cliff

and Claire went out to fancy dinners, it was not an everyday occurrence. Along the same lines, Cliff's frugality postrayed him as someone who knew the importance of money,

valuing where he came from and the importance for African Americans to save. This was evident when he complained about Vanessa's $250 clarinet, which she did not really want to play. He said that they spent so much money whenever their children's ideas changed and although fruitful, it did not necessarily manifest itself in great success. Cliff also did this in the episode "Say Hello to a Good Buy." Although he was a doctor, he went to the dealer in plain clothes in hopes that he would get a good deal on a new station wagon. Things went well until he ran into one of his patients who announced that he was a doctor. The salesman then made it hard for Cliff to bargain, although they did reach a deal. In this case, Cliff did not want to show off his wealth through material positions. He would rather fix the doorbell himself than pay for someone to come over and fix it. In the end, his class did not impede him from acknowledging that he had certain responsibilities to his family such as good financial planning and certain household responsibilities. Like the Huxtable men of the past, there was a need to make sure that people worked their way from the bottom up and hold on to the idea that they were the providers of their family and translate these good values to the rest of his family.

The Cosby Show allowed for viewers to not only see a very positive image of the

African American, but also showed the image of the American Dream: two parents who worked for their children and made sure that their children achieved all that they could.

Their socio-economic status helped them assimilate to a new realm of life, mentally and physically. As a result, there was no need for a pressing racial agenda in the mind of

Cosby or the show's storylines. Chapter 3: The Role of the African American Male in African American Television Families in the 1970s and 1980s

At the center of the 1960s and 1970s examinations of the African American

family was the discussion of the role of the father in the household. When thinking about

the Moynihan Report and many of its contemporaries, they were quite critical of the ways

in which the African American male contributed not only to the family economically, but

the role that he had in shaping the lives of his children-especially young men. African

American men had to overcome any and all obstacles placed in front of them to be

relatively successful. These included staying out of jail, finding a job, and succeeding in

a racist America. For many of these men, the pressures of the world around them made it

hard for them to maintain a concrete presence in the homes that they yearned to establish.

Standing in the way of many of these men was a lack of education. As time went on, more and more jobs required a higher level of education, to which men of these men did not have. Without an education, these men were unable to advance in the job market.

Concurrently, more jobs moved out to outlying areas, malcing it harder for men to find jobs in the inner cities in which they lived; many did not have the means to reach these new suburbs. Medical problems curbed many African American males as they did not have insurance when they needed it, nor were the eligible for welfare benefits most of the time. With all of this in mind, American society worlted against the inclusion of the

African American males in the familial picture.

In each of the shows in this study, the issue of the African American male in the household changes as there was always a father figure present. While this was the case, it is important to examine the ways that the presence of the father figure affected the family, how the father imparted knowledge on their male children and the ways in which

the viewers characterized these fathers and sons. Ultimately, it became a question of how

these shows created a space for these fathers to flourish and overcome any adversity,

letting white Americans know that African American males were aware of the obstacles

in front of them and that they would do the best to succeed.

Good Times

In the Evans family, the viewer met three black men at all different phases of their

life through James Sr., JJ, and Michael. Each of these roles took on a specific function in

helping combat negative image of the African American male that existed in the minds of

many Americans. Despite their socio-economic status, James Sr. provided his sons with

a certain example and guidance, hopefully to rectifying the problems that they might

encounter in the future.

While it seems like society worlted against James Sr., the fact that he is present

within the Evans household is quite important. In this space, he not only present but also

quite involved in the day-to-day issues that their family faces. One of the ways in which

we can look at this is his involvement in the education of his children. As noted in

Chapter 2, even though they lived in the ghetto, James Sr. saw no reason for his children

to neglect education. James made sure to go to school with Florida when Michael and JJ

had problems in school and he made sure that his children had the opportunity to be in a better place then he was when he was their age.

While his children gained increasing levels of education, James' lack of education becomes critical in how we look at his hardships in finding a job. Unlilte the perception of the African American male not wanting an education, James finally tool< action in the episode "Florida Goes To School." In this case, Florida went back to school in order to

get her GED so that she could help better her family's situation. At first, James felt that

this was not the right thing to do. Florida's education threatened his manhood, as she

would be able to make more money and have more opportunities available to her. In his

mind, the man should be the provider for the family, and his lack of education would not

give him to assert this role in the family. But, by the end of the episode, he saw the ways

in which he could find a space within this model-by joining Florida in school as well.

While he was adamant for the majority of the episode, he compromised and found that

this would be the best thing for not only himself but for his family. By going to school,

James became less prideful while defying the myth of the black male not wanting to go to

school; it simply took the opportunity to cross his path in order for him to jump at it.

As noted in this example, James never let his lack of education or full time

employment take away from the control that he had over his family. James was in every

episode, dealing with issues as simple as brealung up fights between SJ and Thelma, to

making sure that the children knew that they need his approval before they could do

whatever they wanted to do.' James' influence in the family prompted young Michael to

write about this for an essay in school on the person that they most admire in the episode

"The Man I Most Admire." While James takes saw this as a joke and almost condescending, Michael's essay stated that the Evans "wouldn't have a family without

him." It is not the Jesse Jacksons or Malcolm Xs of the world that mattered to Michael on a daily basis, rather it was being able to come home and see his father in an active role in their family life.

1 John Amos' contr~lctualdisputes with the television producers prompted his removal after season three and event~lallythe kllhng of his character. James' issues with unemployment and the economic system became a crucial

point of contention during the first two seasons. James Sr. constantly worked odd jobs,

such as at the car wash, in order to make ends meet. In these positions, he was

sometimes laid off temporarily when business got slow which did not help their particular

situation. Also, James experienced issues about his age while he was trying to gain full

time employment. In the episode "Too Old Blues," James Sr. became a victim of ageism

as he was six years too old for a Union Apprentice Program that he hoped to join; the

program targeted men between 18-35, and James was about to turn 42. His interviewer

told him that these were government rules, and that he could do nothing about that. This

spolce to the idea that the government hindered the chances for the blaclc family. It also

spolte to the idea that Moynihan calls for, a major policy overhaul, on a governmental

level, to combat the plights of the African American family. In the case of James, this

was not a deterrent as he was willing to do whatever it took to lteep his family afloat.

Although odd jobs were not at the top of his to do list, he ltnew that it was important to

make sure that his family had all that they needed to survive.

Good Times directly juxtaposed James' dedication to his family to the life that

Moynihan and his contemporaries laid out in their scholarship in "The Gang, Part 11." In this particular case, viewers met the young man, Cleon Edwards, who shot JJ in the first part of this episode. Edwards was no stranger to the criminal system as he already had a file in the criminal system. Although the judge wanted to send him to juvenile detention, there was no room for him. This highlights the idea that many young men, even when going through the penal system, are not properly dealt with, whether it is due to inaccuracies or overcrowding. When his mother came to the courthouse, we learn she was a single mother who has several other younger children. Despite doing her best to

raise him, Cleon continually caused trouble. In this particular situation, Good Times was

in conversation with the studies on the black family. Due to a lack of father figure, Cleon

acted up, living the life of a delinquent in order to malce up for his lack of a father figure.

By having James interested in what is going on in his family, it showed that while there

are single parent households, viewers could hope for more men like James in the world to

provide guidance to these young men.

While he did provide this almost exemplary role of the father for his family,

James occasionally fell prey to the iIls of society and the pressures of sustaining his

family without a steady job. One specific episode that dealt with this is "The Windfall."

In this episode, James found 27,000 dollars in a paper bag and turned it in with the hope

that he would receive a reward. Although it was the right thing to do, James was a bit

hesitant to return the money but Florida encouraged him to do so. His efforts gained him

a place in local newspapers; in one newspaper, the caption under his picture read:

"Portrait of an honest man." James went on the news in order to collect his reward which

turned out to be a plaque and a $50 dollar gift certificate. Interestingly, the storeowner

suggested that it is notable that a common man kept such levels of morality. While seen

as a good gesture, most of the African Americans in the community thought that James' actions were stupid. Several people called the house to express their disbelief. In the end, James revealed that he kept $2,000 dollars of the money, which to him was justified, as he anticipated the lack of financial reward that the supermarltet wo~lldgive him.

Florida did not think that this was "a fine example being set to our lids" especially since they preached honesty to their children. To him, this money would enable them to get by and no longer struggle to make ends meet. In the end, James decided to give the money

to the church, leading to the following conversation between himself and Florida:

Florida: Thanks, James! Honey, the family is our strength. It don't matter what some crazy, sick people say as long as we do the thing that will keep us together James: Baby, you ltnow something Florida, there's a cold world out there and we can't change it. Florida: Well, maybe we can't change it, James, but we sure can't let it change us !

In this scene, James came to realize how important his family was and that money was

not worth the possibility of losing them. His role in the family was not then just to be a

provider of money, but to remain as a pillar of strength and hope, to guide their children

and the family as a whole through this harsh world that they speak of.

While James provided this strength in the Evans household, JJ portrayed the

stereotypical African American male, in support of the ideas presented in the scholarship.

Lilte Moynihan asserted, due to his surroundings, JJ engaged with youth who were not particularly the best mentors. He lived life quite carefree, finding no reason to go to school or work hard for whatever he wanted. For example, in JJ's world, "finding something" was his way of stealing. He saw nothing wrong with this, on some levels like

James Sr., due to the constant struggle with the world around them. In conjunction with this depiction of JJ as a shiftless young African American male, many would argue that he was minstrel-like; the way in which he tallted and wallted created a caricature of

African American life. From his famous use of the word "DYNOMITE" and his complete ignorance of the ways in which people should hold themselves in certain situations, his character did not do much to create a new space for the young African

American male. It seems as if JJ was there simply for comic relief. Delving deeper into this discussion, in "JS Becomes A Man, Part I." the police

wrongly accused JJ of robbing a liquor store on his eighteenth birthday. This particular

occurrence acknowledged the issues of crime that took place in the ghetto.

Consequently, it explored how often the state, in this case in the form of the police,

controlled crime in predominantly African American areas. It seems that in the minds of

these police officers, both black and white, that it was important to find and hold

someone, even if wrongly accused, to make it seem as if they were doing something

effective in the places that they worked. This action was another way in which viewers

got a look into life in the ghetto-a life plagued by the possibility of racial profiling.

Unlike their white counterparts who lived in the suburbs or in a nice apartment in

the city, housing project residents had extra burdens to deal with due to the physical

setting and space that they inhabit. JJ focused on all of the material things in life. He

wanted all of the best gear, to go out and have lots of girlfriends. Yet, he needed to be

come aware of the situation around him for his own safety.

While this was the case, it is also important to find a place for his socially

conscious and often engaging artwork. Although his painting of Blaclr Jesus was

blasphemous to his mother, he was encouraged by the rest of his family to enter it into the

Pan African council art show. Even though he does not win, it sparked his interest to

become a painter. Almost every episode after this opened with JJ painting at his easel,

working on his next masterpiece. In two specific episodes, outsiders began to recognize

his talent. The first was "Junior Gets a Patron," where a man who James Sr. desplsed offered to help the fledging JJ by providing him a studio away from home. Although his parents opposed the move, JS went because he knew this might be his big break. He does not care that his father has had this feud as he wanted to follow his dream. In the end, his

father reconciles with his patron, allowing JJ to move back home and continue his work.

While in "The Nude," JJ paints a neighbor's picture for her husband's birthday. She pays

him fifty dollars. When he hears this, JJ is very excited. He could buy more supplies and

keep on painting.

With both of these cases in mind, it seems that while JJ might not be pursuing an

academic career, he had a particular interest that if developed in the correct ways, could

lead him to a better life. In the episode "JJ the Senior," when, as mentioned in Chapter 2,

he decided to continue to the 12~~grade without truly passing classes, art was the only

class that he actually got an A in. Art could then be JJ's particular ticket to success.

While his father or the viewer may not see art as a means to an end, it did put forth the

image that JJ was not complete shiftless. Due to his relative success, his passion allowed

him to have direction and independence. To the viewers, this shows that not every man is

suited for higher education. If groomed and supported, a man could tale on a trade.

From this, he would still learn how to achieve goals and work hard, both key components to success.

While Michael was quite young at the beginning of this series, he was aware of his status as an African American male in the midst of a white controlled society. In this position, Michael knew the challenges that stood between him and his aspiration to become a Supreme Court Justice. While he does well in school, as evidenced in Chapter

2, Michael often rebelled against the system, as he resisted anything that confined the progress of African Americans. Michael showed this in "Michael Gets Suspended" when he referred to George Washington as a "white racist." This idea of a racist history, one that did not cater to the likelihood and education of the African Americans, comes

forth. Michael's position here demonstrated that children were aware of of the inequities

that existed. In this case, it was that there were teachers who were not sensitive to the

ideas and thoughts of their African American students. Willona, their neighbor, even

chimed into the debate and said that she had the same teacher as Michael and a similar

experience with her. At the same time, Florida and James Sr. made sure that Michael

knew school is no always perfect but was an important part of his career trajectory.

Michael did not have to give up his opinions, but he had to realize how to work within

the system.

Michael's usage of picketing made him a positive image of an African American

male. Not only did he excel in school, but he is aware of the socio-political issues that

occurred in the world around him. He had goals and morals, lea~medfrom his strong

familial base. His awareness of the plight of African Americans let him laow exactly

what he would and would not have to encounter during the rest of his life, hopefully

malung him a better father. Through his move from the predominately-black school to

the school in the white neighborhood, Michael gained the opportunity to obtain all of the information readily available to white students, something that would give him the edge on his peers. Michael could then float between African Americans and whites more readily, giving him the ability to gain access to all of the information that he would need to thrive in a white-dominated world.

The Jeffersons

The Je#ersons presented viewers with another version of African American male success, mainly through the characters of Lionel and George. Unlike Good Times, they did not have to deal with some of the social ills that plagued the ghetto which might have

affected their family structure. Yet, their connection to their past life in Harlem created

certain lifestyles and habits, shaping their outloolc on their life and the lives of other

African American men.

George Jefferson exemplified the concept of the self-made man, specifically when

thinking about some of the ways in which Moynihan and others thought about the

possibilities for men who came from predominately-black urban areas. Although George

came from Harlem, he was able to create a successful cleaning business which enabled

him to truly provide his family with a comfortable home, away from the violence and

poverty that they encountered while living in the projects. His ability to do so showed the

possibility for African American to rise up out of their situation as long as they were hard

working, perseverant, and focused on a goal.

One episode in which George helped to provide an example of the possibilities

that such a mentality would bring to you was "George Won't Talk." In this episode,

George noted that although he had three strikes against him-being black, no education and being from the ghetto-he achieved a comfortable position in life. Around the same time, someone aslted George to come and spealc to a group about his success, which at first had him excited. This changed when he found out that he would be tallcing in

Harlem. In his mind, he left the ghetto and he did not want to return. As usual, Louise became the voice of reason, forcing him to go and help the young men. While in Harlem, someone stole George's van whicli prompted George to regret going to the meeting.

When he realized that he ltnew the young man stole it, George remembered his past and how it affected people were just like Lionel. After this recollection, he saw the importance of being a guiding force to these young men. This spolte to the idea that

having a father in one's home equaled achievement. Yet, even if there was no father,

some other relative could pass certain values. In this case, George proved that these men

just really needed someone positive in their lives in order for them to see that there was a

hope for the African American male in society, and that they did not have to strictly stick

to the traditional routes in order to do so (i.e., going through schooling, then taking on a

job).

When thinking about George's success as an African American businessman, it is

important to examine his relationship to white men. In many instances, issues of race

came into play for African American men as they tried to progress at jobs or stay out of

jail. Based in the long-standing history between African Americans and white men,

George had an interesting relationship with many of the main white characters presented

throughout the time of the show's run.

First, George received power through his relationship with the doorman, Ralph.

By moving to his new "deluxe apartment in the sky," a doorman became one of the

symbols that he moved up, with a white man being his servant. As a result, he had Ralph

doing so much work for him-whether it was helping move huge objects up to the apartment, blocking guests that he did not want to visit or simply helping do small errands. Either way, George sin~plygave Ralph money, which always seemed like it was not enough, to thank him for his help. He kept their relationship very business-like, and did not look for any sort of friendship.

Then, there was Harry Bentley, the Jeffersons' English neighbor. Even though

Bentley often annoyed George with his quirkiness and his wanting for George to walk on his back whenever he needed him to, they were able to forge a friendship. The fact that

Bentley was from England made him harmless as all that he did was tell weird stories

about his family life, girlfriends or his experience working in the United Nations. George

never really listened to anything that Bentley had to say and lcnew that he was not missing

much by doing so. It even got to the point that George threw a birthday party for Bentley,

signifying the friendship that had grown between the two men.

Crucial to this examination of George's relations the white men were his

interactions with the character Tom Willis. The tension between the two men continued

throughout the show, even though their wives were best friends. George took out his

racial frustrations to the fullest when he dealt with Tom. George constantly insinuated

that Tom was nice and loving of African Americans but that with the slightest bit of

anger, he would come out and call Helen, or any African American for that matter, a

"nigger." George often referred to Tom as "whitey" or "honkey," again citing his beliefs about whites. In the episode "Like Father, Like Son," the idea was perpetuated when

Tom supported the blaclc candidate in a local election. It was almost as if he gave off this too liberal stance, one which George found too comfortable. Through his relationship to

Tom, George reminded African Americans that they still needed to remain cautious in their relationships with the white man, as one could never know what was around the comer from them.

Finally, you had the fact the George constantly searched for the infamous Mr.

Wittendale, a neighbor who was a powerful man at one of the local banks. George tried everything from buying his and her bilces so that he and Louise could ride bilces in the park the same time that Wittendale did to organizing a tenants meeting to show that he could galvanize support against changes needed in the building. George also hoped that

he would be able to get out of dinner with Bentley in order to go to a special dinner party

that Mr. Wittendale organized. Even though George asserted this idea that the African

American population should not be reliant, his pursuit of Wittendale showed that wealth

lied in white hands and he needed access to said money in order to open up a new dry

cleaning place. This acltnowledgement showed that George as knowledgeable about the

ways in which he had to work with and rely on white businessmen as they could be an

asset to his business' security. They could also be his competitors so he had to have as

much information on them as possible.

George did not come without faults. While he did provide an example of a

successful African American man and someone who knew how to navigate his

experiences with the white male, like James Sr. in Good Times, he did learn the value of

being honest. In "The Break Up Part I and 11," George caused Lionel and his girlfriend

Jenny to have an argument due to the fact that George brought a term for Lionel to use.

Instead of having Lionel work on the paper, he tried to help him cheat, as he thought that it was the easier way to do and it would not hurt Lionel. George wanted Lionel to succeed and was willing to do anything necessary. While it may not seem so bad, George had to realize that not everything in life comes easy and that he would have to encourage

Lionel instead of "helping him" in the ways he thought would be best.

Throughout the course of The Jeffevsons, viewers met several African American men who were not doing so well for themselves, juxtaposing the experience that George's character puts forth. This provided a space for viewers to see someone that African

American men should not be. Two examples of this were in "George's Skelton" and "George's Best Friend." In the first episode, one of George's friends from in Harlem

comes into town. George did not want him to come over fearing that he would expose

George's time in prison as a result of trouble they got in together. When he did arrive, he

tried to bribe George by asking for a thousand dollars in order to remain silent. In the

end, George told his family and let him know that he had nothing to hide.

In the second case, George's friend from the army, Wendell Brown (played by

Louis Gossett Jr.) came to the house and hit on Louise. When George finds out, he was

outraged and lucked Wendell out of the house. In both of these cases, the African

American male seemed undesirable, as they each played into stereotypes of the African

American man as being hypersexual andlor immoral. By placing them along side

George, viewers got the chance to see that there was hope for African American male, as

long they were honest.

At the same time, the show presented African American men who positive. First, in "Mr. Piano Man," George wanted to have a piano for the tenants meeting that he held in his apartment for ambiance. In the end, the man who brought the piano to the house is a black man who seemed as if he knew nothing about the piano as he was tall, muscular and doing menial labor. In the end, he is a well-known piano player who wowed his audience upon his playing. Not unlike JJ, African American men did have talents that provided some success and notoriety, causing George to see this man quite differently.

Later, in "Lionel Cries Uncle," Louise's Uncle Ward, called an "Uncle Tom'' by George and Lionel, and became his saving grace. When Lionel got kicked out of school as a result of a fight at school, Uncle Ward told Lionel what exactly should be done. Ward gave him a lesson on what it was like to be black during the time that he grew, hoping Lionel would see how times changed and paved they way for his success. Yet, even

with this incident, George's belief that Uncle Ward acts 'white' does not allow him to see

the ways in which Ward's contributions to the family are positive. In the end, African

American men who assimilated (at least in the eyes of George) could be valuable in the

pursuit for a connection to the past as well as for lessons for young African Americans to

use in the future.

Lionel Jefferson added to the idea that African American men in the 1970s were

on the traclc to a growing success. Lilte Michael of Good Times, he was academically

inclined and went to college to pursue a degree in business. While he did do his best to

do well in school, he slipped up along the way, as do many young college attending males

and females. In "Lionel the Playboy," Lionel began to party too much, which affected

how he loolced at his life and education. He skipped class and thought about dropping out of school all together. His parents then reminded him of the importance of education with specific reference the fact that he would be the first Jefferson to receive a college degree. At the same time, he realized that without being focused, he could lose everything that he had, especially Jenny.

One thing that Lionel provided through his character was that gaining an education was necessary to find a job. In the episode "Lionel's Problem," Lionel drank quite heavily on the eve of his graduation from college. He already had a good paying job in place and George even bought him a leather attach6 case for the job. Yet, Lionel is afraid that he was "all set to flunk life" as he felt the need to be spectacular because he was African American man. For him, it was not good enough to be okay as there were too many obstacles in his way. He had to lteep this excellent job but also maintain his family while continuing to be successful. With such a large weight on his shoulder, he

hoped to find solace in alcohol. But, as the episode progressed, he learned that alcohol is

not the answer, as it could lead to more problems. He realized that he was just going to

have to take things one day at a time, in hopes that he would be just as successful as his

father.

Lionel also played the role of a good boyfriend. He stuck by Jenny despite the

fact that his father did not like Jenny's mixed heritage and more specifically her parents,

Tom and Helen. Even though this was the case, Jenny and Lionel stayed together for the

show's duration and only broke up when the show was on its way off of the air. In this

relationship, the viewers saw the future for an African American family and that young

black men did not enter all relationships simply for sex, but rather for a true love that they

developed.

The Cosby Show

The Cosby Show represented a new era for the African American man in

television history. Unlike his predecessors, Cliff Huxtable overcame the many barriers that were in front of him in order to go to medical school and become a successful

obstetrician/gynecologist-mainly the fact that he was an African American male. Cliff represented the pinnacle of African American success as he was not only on the top of his own game in terms of his profession but also his family life. Through this character,

African American male viewers were able to see that they did not necessarily have to stick to the occupations that they felt relegated to. By being a college-educated man, who had achieved all of his goals, Cliff allowed viewers to see the possibilities that an education could afford someone: one could move from their present situations in the ghetto to a nice houses in comfort. Concurrently, the education that Cliff attained

allowed him to not worry about the ways in which white America viewed him on a daily

basis. Being in a position of power with an education as his baclung, made him a reliable

and credible doctor, which brought him patients of all different races and background^.^

The Cosby Show did does the same thing, its viewership was able to cross all sorts of

boundaries, malung it a success in many different types of American homes.

In the show, Cliff represented the African American male who was able to exert

control and influence over the life of his children since he was virtually a stay at home

dad. With his office downstairs, Cliff could be accessible not only to his children but the

children of others. For example, he organized a funeral for Rudy's dead fish Lamont in

the episode "Goodbye Mr. Fish." Even though many of the family members thought it

was ridiculous, he knew it would help Rudy get through the situation easier. Cliff went

beyond what most would consider a father did for his children. His presence was simply

not just physical; rather, he was able to involve himself in relating to his children. Cliff showed an African American man who made it seem like fatherhood was second nature, a definite change from the ways in which the African American father got portrayed in much of the literature.

Cliff was also a loving husband. Throughout the tenure of the show, we hardly, if ever, see Cliff and Claire fight; sometimes, he backed down and let her lay down the law of the land, presenting a very equalitarian household. He not only offered lots of affection to his wife, they often went out to dinner and spend quality time away from the house and the children. While their socio-economic status was linked to their ability to

2 Of all 35 shows watched for this particular project, I only noted one African American woman as a patient. Most of Cliff's patients were either white or Asian, with Mrs. Westlake, Theo's math teacher being one of a few Hispanic clients.

- 68 - do so, Cliff praised his wife's achievements and never degraded Claire. Cliff was a

suitable mate for Claire as they were equal in education and aspiration. This was unlike a

large portion of men who on some levels perpetuated the phenomenon of the single

mother or women who marry outside of the race due to a lack of suitable mates.

The show developed storylines around the bond that existed between the Huxtable

men-including Grandpa Russell. Each of these men relied on each other not only for

guidance and other lnds of support. Grandpa Russell created a link to the past, showing

the continued presence of African American men in the family structure. By educating

Cliff and Theo on the history of strong, hardworking men in the family, he helped show

that this was nothing new to the African American male experience. In the episode

"Breaking the Tradition," Russell reminded Denise and the rest of the family of how hard

his father worked to make sure that he was able to put him through college. Without said

focus from such a long time ago, Cliff would not have such a "fine profession and

beautiful home." Hopefully, this same mindset would find its way into Theo's mind.

Cliff's persistence and involvement in Theo's life provided an excellent example of an African American father who had an influence in the lives of their young sons. The pilot episode exemplified this when Cliff goes to address Theo about his dismal report card. In this discussion, it became clear that Theo did not have a real investment in his education. In Theo's mind, he wanted to be a "regular person" which college did not necessarily produce. To prove that "being regular" might not be the best way to live life;

Cliff used Monopoly money to show Theo that he would not have enough cash to support himself unless he went to college and made something of himself. Cliff told Theo to do the best that he could, as he knew that Theo can do much better. Theo was the next in line of Huxtable men and he must continue the tradition of success and prosperity. In this

particular instance, Theo exemplified the whole stereotype of the young African

American man who did not yearn for the ultimate achievement of going to college. It

took this reminder from an older generation, much like in The Jeffeevsons, that there was a

need for the youth of the African American community to take life and education

seriously as it would not only be helpful to their well being but crucial to the future of the

African American community as a whole.

Cliff also encouraged his son to do well in his pursuits outside of the classroom as

well. In the episode "Is that my boy?," Cliff was very excited when Theo decided to play

football, one of the sports he once plated. Cliff portrayed the role of the proud father

when he took the time to work with Theo on his game. Theo noted his father's attention

and he tried his best when playing the game. Cliff did his part to make sure that his son

knew that he would always be there for him and would make sure that if he needed

guidance or assistance to come to find him as he was the only other man in the house.

While Cliff and Theo had this bond, Cliff's ability to mentor and tutor other

children did not stop there. In several episodes, Cliff became a great resource to other

children in the neighborhood. In the episode, "Theo and the Joint," the Huxtables had

reason to believe that Theo was indulging in drugs. When confronted, Theo let them

know that it was not him but another lid in his school who put the joint in his textbool<.

In order to handle the situation, Theo brought the young man home so that Cliff could

hear the story from the young man. When the young man confessed, Cliff let him know

that although he may not have a father figure in the house, he could always come and tall< to him. He gave the boy potentially life saving advice, hopefully forcing him to move

towards a path to success.

In the episode, "Denise's friend," Cliff's medical expertise was helpful when a

friend of Denise thought she was pregnant. In this episode he helped the young girl

determine this problem while also making sure that his family knew the importance of

coming to either himself or Claire if there was ever a similar dilemma. Cliff's helping of

young children and families understanding the issues surrounding pregnancy continue

throughout the show as he taught several classes at the community center on the subject

matter to young African American males and pregnant women. In the end, Cliff did not

focus solely on himself or his family. He had the mentality that he must help the

community, in order to make sure that everyone will succeed. Even though he lived in a

neighborhood where many African Americans did not live, his efforts were wide spread

and helped maintain a sense of responsibility among the community members.

While Cliff did all of this work, Theo lived the life of an ordinary African

American young man. He liked to hang out with his friends, went to school, and, as the

show goes on he became increasingly interested with young women. One thing that his

character did not know at the beginning of the shoe was that he had dyslexia, which might

have prompted his dislike of school. With this disclosure, Theo spoke for a decent

portion of African American males who may have troubles in school but did not Itnow what to do about them or if there was somewhere to get help. By allowing Theo to suffer from this learning disability, viewers in similar situations found a connection, seeing that there were place to find help for themselves, or their parents could find for them while still being successful. Theo had his chance to show how much he could do for the household in "The

Andalusian Flu" when both Claire and Cliff were sick in bed. In this case, Theo gained

more responsibility around the house and over his two younger sisters. While he was in

charge, he delegated the responsibilities to his younger two sisters while he prepared for

his date with a young lady. While he did not necessarily do the greatest job, he at least

experienced the management of the household. By taking responsibility without

necessarily having to take it on, Theo showed that some young African American men

were aware of their importance within the family and, with guidance, realize the

importance of helping others. While he did have this date to attend, he made sure that his

household was in order before he went out with the young woman.

In all three of these shows, viewers got a sense that there was a strong connection

that these African American males had towards their families as well as towards their

communities. While they were not all perfect, their positive attributes outweighed the

negative, putting forth a more positive image of the African American male than much of the scholarship did. Even in Good Times, where the family was in the harshest of socio- economic situations, James Sr. provided love and support to his family. In all these situations, the African American father guided their son with morals and by creating connections. By the shows presentation of the African American family as a complete unit, it refuted the idea that the African American family remained broken even as time progressed. With new generations approaching, these fathers saw the need to let the~r sons know the family history as well as what some of the societal pressures that cont~nued to exist were. For these sons, it was all about learning in life and in school that would be the key to their next steps in life. If successful, they will be in just as good or an even better place than their fathers. Conclusion

The Af~icanAmerican family became subject to a reevaluation in the late 1960s,

due to Civil Rights Legislation and increased interest on making African Americans a

successful part of America. Moynihan and his contemporaries were correct in noting

that many African American families headed towards an unsuccessful existence.

Concurrently, there was the belief on Moynihan's part that a huge governmental

overhaul was necessary to ensure the success of these African American families.

However, Moynihan failed to acl

homes, high levels of unemployment, and the alienation of the African American male

from the family was out of their hands and continues to be. As this was the situation,

many African American families had to operate within the frameworlc set up for them.

Most of these scholars and policymakers, inclusive of Moynihan, did not provide any

specific solutions for the problems at hand. While they exposed the injustices

circulating in the workplace, education, and the communities in which these families

lived, not one of the major works identified a way to promote inclusion of these families

into American society. Ultimately, the federal government failed to not only identify the

problems at hand but provide viable solutions so that African Americans would no

longer become subject to discrimination or have to deal with overwhelming poverty.

While no real solution came from American policymakers, I believe that the

advent of the African American family on television in the 1970s and 1980s helped to

change popular ideas of African American families. African Americans saw positive images of themselves on television; these same images helped to change the perception of the African American family for white viewers as well. As more shows with African Americans entered the world of television and became successful, there were markers

that reached out to cross-cultural audiences who took the time to get to these television

families on a weekly basis. Each of these three shows-Good Times, The JeJjeusons,

and The Cosby Show-reversed stereotypes of the African American family and more

specifically the role of the African American males in the family. Unlike the television

shows of the 1950s and before that, which had portrayed African Americans as lazy,

shiftless, and passive about how they went about life, each of these post-Civil Rights era

shows helped to replace these notions with families who valued education, and hard

work.

Despite the fact that Good Times took place in some of the poorest projects in

Chicago, the relationships that developed within the family did not fall victim to the

social ills that persisted around them. Their family, although struggling, tried all that

they could do to make sure that not only they had some financial success but also

remained loving and supportive. James Sr. and Florida made sure that their children

knew right from wrong and saw the value in education, two things that would help them

get ahead in a world that kept many African Americans socially and economically

depressed. Both Michael and Thelma exemplified the point that no matter what the

situation, education could be a tool for success and would lead to opportunities outside of their physical surroundings. With this image on television each week, it provided young viewers in the ghetto with role models, while allowing white America to see that there is a drive amongst young black to succeed in life. While some argue that JJ represented certain stereotypes about the African American male, his love for hrs family and his passion for art became somewhat redemptive qualities. I do agree that his actions were over the top, and I also believe that he brought realness to the situation at

hand. In my opinion, it was necessary for young African American male viewers to see

someone not be an academic but take on some other passion in their lives. Concurrently,

it was important for African American males in general to latch on to the idea that

things will not come easy, but remaining connected to one's family would allow for

support and love to flow both ways, hopefully helping each other through rough times

in their lives.

In the same historical moment, The Jefeeusoons provided the examination of a

family who achieved success and their resulting relationship to the changing world

around them. One of the most successful elements of the show was the constant

comparison and critique of the new, upper middle class world around them. The

Jeflersons tackled cutting edge issues such as interracial marriage and suicide in the

African American population. By bringing these issues to light, the show helped to

breakdown some of the biggest barriers that existed in society. People who wanted to

date interracially could look to The Jeffersons and see that there was nothing wrong

with the situation. Much like the show's portrayal African American families, the

Willis' helped to normalize the idea of being in an interracial relationship. At the same

time, the show helped to bring forth the idea of an African American community and

the ways in which African Americans supported each other. Although George had

moments where he was insensitive to the needs of the people around him, he always changed his mind, often helping some of the people from their life in Harlem or simply any other African American in their presence. In creating this connection to their past life in the ghetto, The Jeffersons shows that despite any ascension in one's socio- economic status, one can find a space for themselves as an African American. George

and Louise's success make it clear that African Americans could succeed in the

business world-whether it is through George's admission into an all white country

club, his business phone calls he makes, or simply the fact that they live in a

predominantly white building. The Jeffersons showed it was not necessary for one to

sell out or abandon one's family or racial community in order to do so.

By 1984, The Cosby Show's entrance onto primetime television provided the

ultimate example of African American family stability and opportunity for success.

Through its presentation of a doctor and lawyer as the equal heads of the family, the

show helped to create a space of African Americans at the top of the economic ladder.

Not only did both Cliff and Claire expose the idea that some of the most respectable

professions were available to African Americans, they both proved the benefits of

working hard and gaining education. Just like its predecessors, The Cosby Show

continued to push education as one of the chief ways in which African Americans could

overcome any the road blocks that continuously keep African Americans at a lesser

place in society. Each of their older children goes off to college, either to historically

black colleges or prestigious white institutions, which seems to give the idea to viewers that African Americans have educational choices. These notions, I think, lead to the spin off A Differerzt World which starred a Huxtable daughter, Denise (Lisa Bonet). By providing a venue for young African Americans and white America to see what it was like to be African American, in college, and successfu1 made a huge impact on how

African Americans fitting into the larger American sphere. While I agree with some of the scholars who that argued that the Huxtable

family did not deal with issues of race and were "not black enough," I think that The

Cosby Show helped white Americans accept the fact that African American families

were truly no different than they were. Although I think that Good Times and The

Jeffeevsons helped white Americans realize this as well, the socio-economic status of the

Huxtable allowed easy entrance for the white viewers. They could associate with the

parenting skills which Bill Cosby wanted to be the one of the focal points of the show.

During this connection, I would argue white viewers formed a connection with Cliff and

Claire, allowing them to reevaluate their thoughts on African American families.

Due to their popularity, Good Times, The Jeffersons, and The Cosby Show

helped to break barriers and common misconceptions about the African American

family. While conditions explained in the Moynihan Report and other scholarly

continued to plague the African American community during these show's run, each of

these shows helped to present a new African American family, one that conformed to

white society's view of the family. The shows also helped to show white Americans

that not all African American families were the same, exposing multiple classes. By

challenging these views, these television shows opened Pandora's Box when it came to

the future of African American families on television. Their presence and ability to

engage white audience in issues that they did not frequently encounter helped to

normalize this experience, malting their problems and experiences American. This

would become an issue in the 1990s with shows like Family Matters and My Wz@ and

Kids exposing more ways of African American familial life, and and Mclrried with Children both brought the white lower class population back to mainstream television. In the end, Good Times, The Jefersons and The Cosby Show allowed the

African American family to gain respect and acceptance, despite any flaws or misconceptions that existed around them, ultimately challenging notions presented by

Moynihan and his peers. Bibliography

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