Black Women in TV: The Evolution of Representation
This ongoing research and media project examines how Black women have been portrayed on television—and how those portrayals have transformed over time. Centered around the book The Evolution of Black Women in Television, the project explores how increased media ownership and creative control by Black women over the past 30 years has fueled a cultural shift in representation. These changes mirror broader political, economic, and social advancements for Black women in the United States from 1950 to 2017.
The project also investigates Black women as a diverse and powerful audience—one that actively engages with and challenges media portrayals through digital platforms like social media. A companion website offers resources on race in Hollywood and supports aspiring Black women in media industries.
The next chapter of this work continues with my forthcoming book, Sacred Sisterhoods: A Celebration of Black Women on Television and Film, to be published by The Ohio State University Press in Spring 2025.
In The Evolution of Black Women in Television, I explore how creative leadership by Black women has reshaped their on-screen representation—and how that shift parallels our political and cultural progress from 1950 to 2017. I also examine how we, as viewers, use social media to engage, respond, and push the narrative forward.
The book is available wherever you buy books—including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and directly from Taylor & Francis.