Comedian Bill Cosby a pivotal figure in black history

I was a child during the 1980s and 1990s, so I was blessed with a variety of great television programming.

Those of my generation would likely agree that one of the best comedy shows to come out of that era was The Cosby Show.

Tara Tapp, a second-year student at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, said with no hesitancy: “Bill Cosby is a wonderful dude.”

I would have to agree.

When Cosby arrived on NBC in 1984, he followed two failed shows in the 1970s. But producers for the network wanted to give Cosby an opportunity to build a family comedy show based on his live comedy skits.

During the eight seasons of The Cosby Show from 1984-92, American viewers were treated to stories about teen pregnancy, dyslexia, education and parenting best practices, and they were entertained by Cosby’s warm, down-to-earth humor.

I remember during summers at home when my sister and I would have our lunch in front of the TV. We watched The Cosby Show, syndicated. Episode after episode guaranteed a bellyful of laughs.

Like much of TV of that era, there was always a take-away — a moral to the story. The Huxtables were an affluent African-American family, and they lived in a Brooklyn Heights Brownstone. There was the father, Cliff Huxtable, an obstetrician who was the son of a prominent jazz saxophonist, and his wife, Claire, a successful attorney.

Cliff and Claire doted on their five children: Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. Rare was there ever talk of race inequality on The Cosby Show, but important historical milestones, like the Civil Rights Movement, were recognized.

Whole episodes often focused solely on an historical African-American figure of arts and culture. African-American music was always a big piece.

But what I took away from my regular viewing of The Cosby Show was the awareness that there is no Black America or White America; there is only America. The Huxtables were not as much an African-American family as they were a true American family, with American values.

Like Tapp said, “Not only did (Cosby) did these amazing shows, it’s what he did behind the scenes; he broke down many barriers for black actors and black directors.”

Thanks to Cosby, shows like “Family Matters” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” broke into the mainstream.

Cosby’s success proves that all people from all walks of life can relate to one another.

Black Heritage, like Fort Steilacoom theater professor Fred Metzger said, belongs to everyone.

“It’s a coming together,” he said. “And my goal is to see everyone come together.”

Tapp said it best: “It’s not just about black heritage, it’s about all of our heritage, because, no matter who you are, you might have a little black in you.”

Reach Puyallup reporter Andrew Fickes at 253-841-2481 Ext. 313, email at andrew.fickes@puyallupherald.com or on Twitter at @herald_andrew.