{"product_id":"black-tv-five-decades-of-groundbreaking-television-from-soul-train-to-black-ish-and-beyond","title":"Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-Ish and Beyond","description":"\u003cb\u003eWith iconic imagery and engrossing text, \u003ci\u003eBlack TV \u003c\/i\u003eis the first book of its kind to celebrate the groundbreaking, influential, and often under-appreciated shows centered on Black people and their experiences from the last fifty years.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Over the past decade, television has seen an explosion of acclaimed and influential debut storytellers including Issa Rae (\u003ci\u003eInsecure\u003c\/i\u003e), Donald Glover (\u003ci\u003eAtlanta\u003c\/i\u003e), and Michaela Coel (\u003ci\u003eI May Destroy You\u003c\/i\u003e). This golden age of Black television would not be possible without the actors, showrunners, and writers that worked for decades to give voice to the Black experience in America. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Written by veteran TV reporter Bethonie Butler, Black TV tells the stories behind the pioneering series that led to this moment, celebrating the laughs, the drama, and the performances we've loved over the last fifty years. Beginning with \u003ci\u003eJulia\u003c\/i\u003e, the groundbreaking sitcom that made Diahann Carroll the first Black woman to lead a prime-time network series as something other than a servant, she explores the 1960s and 1970s as an era of unprecedented representation, with shows \u003ci\u003elike Soul Train\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e Roots\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e and The Jeffersons\u003c\/i\u003e. She unpacks the increasingly nuanced comedies of the 1980s from \u003ci\u003e227\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003eA Different World\u003c\/i\u003e, and how they paved the way for the '90s Black-sitcom boom that gave us \u003ci\u003eThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eLiving Single\u003c\/i\u003e. Butler also looks at the visionary comedians--from Flip Wilson to the Wayans siblings to Dave Chappelle--and connects all these achievements to the latest breakthroughs in television with showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, and Quinta Brunson leading the charge. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e With dozens of photographs reminding readers of memorable moments and scenes, Butler revisits breakout performances and important guest appearances, delivering some overdue accolades along the way. So, put on your Hillman sweatshirt, make some popcorn, and get ready for a dyn-o-mite retrospective of the most groundbreaking and entertaining shows in television history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Black Dog \u0026 Leventhal Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46028958892205,"sku":"9780762481514","price":35.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0609\/6954\/9997\/files\/imageloader_6d138d5c-50f4-4ebd-8f56-b8a410e70d0d.jpg?v=1779216863","url":"https:\/\/thirdspacereadingroom.com\/products\/black-tv-five-decades-of-groundbreaking-television-from-soul-train-to-black-ish-and-beyond","provider":"ThirdSpace Reading Room","version":"1.0","type":"link"}