Over many TV years (and some before my time, therefore in reruns) black TV dads and moms have beautifully impacted black family life by teaching black children life lessons and represented how we raise our children. Unfortunately, some of our favorite TV parents passed away over the years and their losses felt as real as our own mothers, fathers and other guardian figures. This list is a celebration for the black TV parents who we’ve lost, but are never forgotten.
Source: ABC
Uncle Phil (James Avery)
James Avery’s, best known as Uncle Phil on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, passing came as shock to many of us. He wasn’t just Will Smith’s Uncle Phil, but he was everyone’s Uncle Phil, and like Smith said, all young men need an Uncle Phil. Uncle Phil was tough, loving, smart, strong and disciplined his three children and nephew. He’s definitely one of the most authentic, relatable TV fathers of all time. Rest in peace, James Avery.
Source: blackthespian.com
Florida Evans (Esther Rolle)
Florida Evans represented that strong, loving black matriarch on “Good Times” all black folks know — especially when times were hard or rough. When James Evans (John Amos) passed away, Florida remained strong with her minor slip, “damn, damn, DAMN!’ moment, and cared for her family. Esther Rolle passed away in 1998 from complications with diabetes.
Source: wzakcleveland.com
Estelle “Mother” Winslow (Rosetta LeNoire)
She was THE grandma! She was wise, funny, loving, protective and cool all in one on “Family Matters.” Mother Winslow kept up-to-date with the world around her and hence, was TV’s coolest grandparent. LeNoire passed away in 2002 from complications with diabetes.
Source: sodahead.com
Louise “Weezy” Jefferson (Isabel Sanford)
Weezy represented mothers with semi-grown, young adult children on “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons.” Not only that, but she raised an opinionated son, Lionel (originally Mike Evans). With that being said, Weezy was kind-hearted and levelheaded. Sanford passed away in 2004 from natural causes.
George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley)
Unlike his wife, George wasn’t levelheaded on “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons.” He was hotheaded, opinionated and rude. He represented the parent we learned a lot from, but learned to NOT be exactly like. His son, Lionel, was opinionated, but he used his patience and tolerance a lot more when dealing with the likes of people like Archie Bunker (Caroll O’Connor). Hemsley passed away from cancer in 2012.
Source: Sitcomsonline.com
Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx)
He might have called his son Lamont (Demond Wilson) “big dummy” on “Sanford and Son”, but ultimately, they had each other’s backs. Who doesn’t have a parent who’s hard on them and expresses their love in that way? Foxx passed away in 1991 from a heart attack.
Source: articles.latimes.com
Anna Huxtable (Clarice Taylor)
Anna Huxtable might not have been a main character on “The Cosby Show,” but she certainly made an impact as Cliff’s (Bill Cosby’s) loving mother and grandmother to his children. Taylor passed away from a heart failure in 2011.
Bernie McCullough (Bernie Mac)
Mac might have had his own tough-love, strict parenting techniques on his show, “The Bernie Mac Show,” and we loved him for them because we weren’t that unfamiliar with it ourselves. But if everything his character, loosely based on his own life, exemplified what it really means to be a black family — an extended black family and kinship, that is. Black folk and extended black families heavily believe in taking care of each other, and Mac definitely took in and cared for his sister’s children. Mac passed away in 2008 from sarcoidosis complicated by pneumonia.
Source: NBC
Vernon Gaines (Lou Myers)
Mr. Gaines might not have been any significant character’s daddy on “A Different World,” but he did have a son named Darnell offscreen. Nevertheless, he was definitely a father figure to the main characters who were all black college students — specifically Kim, the med student (Charnele Brown) who worked under him at The Pit. He usually provided feisty advice and wisdom. Myers passed in 2013 from heart failure.
Source: Sitcomsonline.com
Mabel Thomas (Mabel King)
She was known as the large and in charge mother to the characters Raj (Ernest Thomas) and Dee (Danielle Spencer) on “What’s Happening!!” Also, she served as the mother figure and the voice of wisdom for the rest of the characters on the show too. “This is true!” King passed away from complications with diabetes in 1999.
