The cast of A Different World is giving back to a historically black college and university (HBCU) in need.
According to EBONY, the cast of the former NBC sitcom partnered with Ford to give Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas a $100,000 check. Cree Summer, Jasmine Guy, Darryl Bell and Kadeem Hardison presented the check to the university as part of Ford’s Ultimate Homecoming Takeover initiative.
Afterward, they stayed to discuss the impact of the show.
“We had different classes, different colorings, different backgrounds, different aspirations and that’s one thing I loved about A Different World,” Jasmine Guy said of the show. “It showed the true spirit about what being Black is, and that it is diverse within itself.”
The show, which premiered in 1988, was an instant hit. Featuring a cast of educated Black students, the series opened up the conversation on taboo issues such as race, sex, and equal rights.
Though the show only ran for five years, its impact is still felt today. A new promo for Freeform’s Grown-ish‘s upcoming second season pays tribute to the iconic opening title sequence of A Different World.
“What was also great was that you saw different generations! From the youngsters like Bumper Robinson [and] Patrick Malone, all the way to Glynn Turman, and Lou Myers, who played Mr. Gaines, there was always a different point of view,” said Darryl Bell, who played Ron.
“So no matter what topic was discussed, it wasn’t a monolithic response; it was something that was always challenging and relevant, it was important and we managed to be funny while we did it! That’s why I think it lasted so long and stayed evergreen.”
