It’s no secret that Black folks love our “stories,” which means we are all about daytime dramas aka soap operas. It’s the craziness combined with the romance and intrigue that lures us in. It took awhile for Black characters and families to be prominently featured, but once they were, we got some unforgettable stories. To celebrate CBS’ recent announcement about its new daytime drama, “The Gates,” we’re looking back at soaps’ most memorable Black characters.
Suggested Reading
Neil Winters – The Young and the Restless
The late Kristoff St. John will always be a trailblazer for his work on “The Young and the Restless.” Neil was a brilliant businessman, loving husband and father, loyal friend and courageous role model. He made the character important at a time when Black men didn’t get to portray all those qualities. We will always miss him.
Lily Winters – The Young and the Restless
Through the years we’ve watched Christel Khalil grow up before our eyes. As such we’re very invested in Lily’s happiness. Unfortunately, Neil and Dru’s daughter has been very unlucky in love.
Malcolm Winters – The Young and the Restless
When Shemar Moore burst on the scene, he changed the lives of both male and female “Y &R” fans. As charming as Moore is, but Malcolm’s early obsession with and assault of his brother’s wife made him irrdeemable for many viewers.
Devon Hamilton – The Young and the Restless
When Devon was adopted into the Winters family, he probably didn’t think he’d inherit the family’s legacy of failed romance. Unfortunately for him, that’s exactly what happened.
Jessie and Angie Hubbard – All My Children
Supercouples are an essential part of the soap experience. “All My Children’s” Jessie and Angie had all the tragic “Romeo and Juliet” storybeats that keep fans coming back every day. Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams had a special chemistry that actors find once, maybe twice, a career. If you weren’t invested in their romance, you’re a robot.
Jessica Griffin – As the World Turns
Whether she’s the lead actress or in a supporting role, Tamara Tunie commands every scene she’s in. She makes all her characters, especially Jessica, feel essential to the story. As one of Oakdale’s most in-demand lawyers, she had a hand in everyone’s business.
Abe Carver – Days of Our Lives
In the soap world, every town has one or two cops who handle every case. One of them is a reliable, unimpeachable leader who everyone looks up to. They’re the foundation of their family and will do anything to protect their home. In Salem, no one fits this role better than Abe Carver. His longtime portrayer James Reynolds is a legend and deserves all the flowers for his exceptional work.
Lexie Carver – Days of Our Lives
Abe’s wife Lexie was never quite as settled as her husband. She always had these wild, adventurous part of her personality urging her to make questionable decisions. When we found out the villainous Stefano DiMera was her biological father, it all made sense.
Celeste Perrault – Days of Our Lives
With a mom who was a renowned psychic and constantly found herself drawn into Stefano DiMera’s crazy schemes, Lexie tried her best to live a very normal, boring life. But no one with Celeste’s DNA could ever be boring. Also, Tanya Boyd might actually have magic powers because she’s ageless.
Justus Ward – General Hospital
We weren’t surprised to discover that Edward Quartermaine had a secret grandson no one knew about. It was a surprise to find out he was Black. His ethics and instinct to do the right thing meant Justus would never truly fit in with the backstabbing Quartermaines. The fact that he was recast so often and given no substantive storylines also didn’t help.
Mary Mae Ward – General Hospital
Rosalind Cash’s Mary Mae Ward shook up Port Charles with her revelations about Edward Quartermaine’s past. She had that familiar loving honesty that Black families know so well, which made her feel like an old friend, not a TV character.
Maya Avant – The Bold and the Beautiful
Maya Avant was a groundbreaking character in daytime TV. She was a transgender woman who fell in love with heir apparent Rick Forrester, then risked it all to tell him the truth about who she is. After the show finished following their love story, she sort of faded into the background.
Evangeline Williamson – One Life to Live
Before she was one of “Hamilton’s” Schuyler sisters, Renée Elise Goldsberry played Evangeline Williamson, Llanview’s most badass lawyer. She was smart, firect, funny and beautiful. Unfortunately, she never got her own love story and always seemed to picking up other characters’ scraps. When the time came for Goldsberry to move on to Tony-winning stardom, she ended up in a coma and was written off.
Epiphany Johnson, General Hospital
Don’t mess with Epiphany. That was always the rule around Port Charles. Even hardened mobsters Sonny and Jason knew not to get on Epiphany’s bad side. The late, great Sonya Eddy stole every scene she was in and delivered one of TV’s most unforgettable characters. “General Hospital” just isn’t the same without her.
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