SPECIAL OUT ON THE TOWN: TOP 50 MOST INFLUENTIAL BLACK TV SHOWS OF ALL TIME

Television has been an important medium in America since the early 1950s. Spearheading off from radio and post-WW2 socioeconomic optimism, television and its programming have been through many changes (willingly and unwillingly)  in regards to what people watch and what is given for them to watch. From those changes,  TV gatekeepers have been forced to greenlight programming to create diversity to appeal to specific ethnic groups (mainly African Americans)to capitalize on those demands. 

Below are OUTSTAGN BLOGSPOT'S choices of the Top 50 Black Television Shows which made a impact on not just television, but also helped shape the Black Experience Narrative. There were hundreds of programs to choose from--from sitcomes, dramas, game shows, children shows and music variety shows--but the ones we had chosen we believe influenced television the most by being the first in its inception, spawning spinoffs and/or influencing  popular  (POP) culture. 

Before we reveal the list, here is our definition of what a Black Television Show is:

--The program must have an African American as the lead actor/actress/host 

AND/OR

--The program has a majority African American cast 

As a teaser, here are No. 60 to No. 51.

60.THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW 

59.KEENAN N KEL 

58.ATLANTA

57.THE CHRIS ROCK SHOW 

56.POSE

55.BLACK JESUS

54.HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER 


53.OZ

52.INSECURE

51.GIRLFRIENDS

Here is the Top 50:

50.MOESHA

(1996-2001)

49.NEW YORK UNDERCOVER
(1994-1999)

48.SOLID GOLD (DIONNE WARWICK, first host 1980-81)

47.WHAT'S HAPP'NING!
(1976-1979)

46.BENSON
(1979-1986)

45.THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA
(2008-PRESENT)

44.DIFF'RENT STROKES
(1978-1985)

43.POWER
(2014-PRESENT)

42.HARRIS AND COMPANY
(1979)

41.JACKSON 5IVE CARTOON
(1971-1972)

40.NOAH'S ARC
(2005-2006)

39.GENERATIONS
(1989-1991)

38.AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL
(2003-PRESENT)

37.THE BILL COSBY SHOW
(1969-1971)

36.THE SAMMY DAVIS JR SHOW
(1966)

35.GET CHRISTIE LOVE!
(1974-1975)

34.MUSICAL CHAIRS
(1975)

33.THE MELBA MOORE AND CLIFTON DAVIS SHOW
(1972)

32.ROOM 222
(1969-1974)

31.BAREFOOT IN THE PARK
(1970)

30.FAT ALBERT  AND THE COSBY KIDS 

(1972-1985)

29.CHAPPELLE'S SHOW

(2003-2006)

28.DELLA

(1969-1970)

27.DEF COMEDY JAM
(1992-1997)

26.A DIFFERENT WORLD
(1987-1993)

25.BLACK-ISH 

(2014-PRESENT)

24.THE BOONDOCKS

(2005-2008; 2014)

23.EMPIRE
(2015-PRESENT)

22.THE ELECTRIC COMPANY
(1971-1977)

21.LIVING SINGLE
(1993-1998)

20.THE HAZEL SCOTT SHOW

(1950)

19.SOUL!

(1968-1973)

18.THE BEULAH SHOW
(1950-1952)

17.FRANKS PLACE
(1987-1988)

16.THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW
(1989-1994)'

15.MARTIN

(1992-1997)

14.SCANDAL
(2012-2018)

13.IN LIVING COLOR
(1990-1994)

12.THE NAT KING COLE SHOW
(1956-1957)

11.SOUL FOOD

(2000-2004)

HERE IS OUR TOP 10

10.THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW
(1977)

9.SANFORD AND SON
(1972-1977)

8.GOOD TIMES
(1974-1979)

7.JULIA
(1968-1971)

6.THE FLIP WILSON SHOW
(1970-1974)

5.THE AMOS N ANDY SHOW
(1951-1953)

4.THE JEFFERSONS
(1975-1985)

3.THE COSBY SHOW
(1984-1992)

2.THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW
(1986-2012)

AND THE NO. 1 MOST 

INFLUENTIAL BLACK TV 

SHOW 

OF ALL TIME IS........................................

1.SOUL TRAIN
(1971-2006)