The eighth and final season of the hit ABC show “Black-ish” will air the season-ending finale on April 18th. The Kenya Barris created series – loosely based on his life- came about during a unique time in American culture.
Back in 2014, President Obama was in his second term. Donald Sterling had been caught on tape casually dolling out racist views on Black people. Eric Garner- a Black man accused of selling single cigarettes without a tax stamp- was recorded being suffocated by a New York police officer. His last words, “I can’t breathe,” became a symbol of a movement. All these moments were the backdrop when the series made its debut.
“Black-ish,” told the story of Andre Johnson (Anthony Anderson), an upper-middle-class Black man, and his family, balancing the fine line between upward mobility and staying connected to his cultural roots. The series also stars Tracee Ellis Ross as his wife Bo, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Marsai Martin, Miles Brown, Laurence Fishburn, and Jennifer Lewis.
Throughout its eight-season run, “Black-ish” was nominated for over 60 awards, including Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series, and created two spinoffs with “Grown-ish” and “Mixed-ish, “all while ushering in a Black golden renaissance in television.
Jill Munroe was a panelist for the African-American Film Critics Association roundtable discussion with Anderson and Ellis Ross, series showrunner Courtney Lilly and the show’s hair leads, Stacey Morris and Nena Ross Davis. During the conversation, they shared with Munroe the particular thing they will take from this series and utilize in future productions.
Catch the entire discussion on the AAFCA YouTube channel.
