Black beauty trends have always set the tone in pop culture and one of the first places Black women and girls got to see that impact was through some our favorite characters on our favorite classic Black television shows.
From Bern Nadette Stains on “Good Times,” to Lisa Bonet on “The Cosby Show” to Brandy on “Moesha,” to Issa Rae on “Insecure,” the small screen has given us countless unforgettable Black hair moments over the years.
Scroll through to look back at a few of the iconic Black hair moments we all couldn’t get enough of on our TV screens and then be sure to grab your tickets to join us as well celebrate the Black hair journey through our Crowned Glory pop up exhibit at the ESSENCE Beauty Carnival in NYC.
01
The Show We Loved: 227
227 gave audiences a glimpse of middle-class Black family life in Washington, DC in the 80s, complete with the hairstyles we couldn’t get enough of.
02
The Hair We Loved: Regina King’s Character, Brenda Jenkins
Regina King’s character Brenda allowed teenage Black girls growing up in the 80s to see someone who looked like them from head to toe on their television screens each week.
03
The Show We Loved: Good Times
Good Times brought the laughter, the love and the authentic Black experience—including authentic Black beauty—to television in a way we had never seen before.
04
The Hair We Loved: BernNadette Stanis’s Character, Thelma Evans
Thelma was a favorite ‘Good Times’ character for many reasons and one of them was the always-stylish hairdos she rocked on each episode.
05
The Show We Loved: Moesha
We were all tuned in every week to watch Moesha navigate her way through high school, family drama, friends and more from thee perspective of a young Black girl growing up in Los Angeles.
06
The Hair We Loved: Brandy’s character, Moesha
Moesha’s signature box braids had us all wanting to rock our own braided hairstyles with pride.
07
The Show We Loved: The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show brought an educated, relatable, successful Black family to mainstream television and had us all hooked.
08
The Hair We Loved: Lisa Bonet’s Character, Denise Huxtable
09
The Hair We Loved: Lisa Bonet
10
The Show We Loved: A Different World
There’s nothing quite like the Black college experience and A Different World allowed us all to live our HBCU dreams one episode at a time.
11
The Hair We Loved: Dawn Lewis’ Character Jaleesa & Cree Summer’s Character, Frankie
A Different World was full of classic Black hair moments, but Jaleesa & Frankie never disappointed.
12
The Show We Loved: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
A show about a wealthy Black family who kept the laughs coming around the clock and always included a teachable moment on each episode? What’s not to love?!
13
The Hair We Loved: Tatyana Ali’s Character, Ashley Banks
Ashley Banks gave us all the hair goals as we watched her—and her head full of hair—grow up before our eyes.
14
The Show We Loved: Living Single
Living Single led the charge for representation by giving us a chance to see Black women flourishing in their careers across multiple industries, while also giving the world a glimpse at what our sisterhood is all about.
15
The Hair We Loved: Kim Fields’ Character, Regine
Regine had a wig to go with every outfit, attitude and job — and we loved every one of them!
16
The Show We Loved: Sister, Sister
Before Tia & Tamera were all grown up and living their best lives individually as career women, wives and moms, they were our favorite set of television twins.
17
The Hair We Loved: Tia & Tamera As Themselves
Curls galore was the name of the game for this duo, who gave us a double dose of Black Girl Magic from head to toe on every episode.
18
The Show We Loved: How To Get Away With Murder
How To Get Away With Murder has been giving us a front row seat to the life of a powerful Black woman attorney who is as flawed as she is fierce for 5 seasons and counting.
19
The Hair We Loved: Viola Davis’ Character, Annalise Keating
Annalise Keating gave us natural hair realness on season 1 when she removed her wig, makeup and lashes in an empowering scene that had us all cheering her on from our couches.
20
The Show We Loved: Insecure
Eventhough we’re crushed that we won’t be able to quench our Insecure thirst until 2020 (*cue tears*), there’s no denying that this show created by, for and starring Black women is changing the game in a big way.
21
The Hair We Loved: Issa Rae’s Character, Issa
Among the endless reasons why we love Insecure is Issa’s unapologetic Blackness that sets the tone for each episode with ease—and with an innovative natural hairstyle we love.
22
The Show We Love: Queen Sugar
Queen Sugar has brought us an authentic Black experience that has continuously left us laughing, crying and speechless for 4 seasons and counting.
23
The Hair We Love: Rutina Wesley’s Character, Nova & Daw-Lyen Gardner’s character, Charley
From Nova’s glorious locs, to Charley’s layered journey to self-rediscovery that included a new-found appreciation for her natural curls, we stan.
24
The Show We Loved: The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
A show about a wealthy Black family who kept the laughs coming around the clock and always included a teachable moment on each episode? What’s not to love?!