With hit sitcoms like Moesha and The Parkers, the network gave voice to a new generation of Black storytellers and creatives. But a change in strategy ahead of a merger with The WB led to “all these … pretty white teenager shows, and it was very separate and unequal.” Above, UPN’s hit shows included (clockwise from left) Moesha, The Parkers, Girlfriends and All of Us.
As box-office hits including Black Panther and the ethnically inclusive Fast & Furious franchise increasingly undercut what filmmaker Ava DuVernay calls a “longstanding myth,” they’ve been joined by a new generation of small-screen fare also finding international success.
