When We Admired Black Women On TV: Our Favorite Characters of Yesteryear
Lisa Turtle, “Saved By The Bell”
First, can we please take a minute and drink in the fabulousness of this dress Ms. Thang is wearing?! Love it. Either way, after Issa and Andrea mentioned Laura Winslow they moved on to Lisa Turtle (Lark Voorhies). In their conversation, they let me know that the character Lisa Turtle was originally meant to be a rich, Jewish girl; but fortunately, the producers of the show were progressive enough to adjust and adapt when they noticed Lark’s talent. The Lisa Turtle character was not too unlike many of us. Though her circle of friends was predominately white, she never came across as a token. She was fashionable, talented and was constantly having to remind “Screech” that she didn’t want him. In high school, there’s always that one boy who just won’t give up hope.
