As kids, there were only but a few things that
any of us could actually do. The freedoms we had were limited to certain
parameters but within those constraints, we indeed made the spectacular happen. In the words of the absorbent, yellow
and porous, I'm talking about imagination
my good people. But what cultivated that creativeforce
as a child? Books, music, or eventhe people that surround you are driving forces
but as kids, there was nothing a cartoon couldn't fix. It was like a rite
passage growing up watching Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, you name it.
Our lives sometimes revolved around these animations but more specifically
the characters that made these visions come to life. As time progressed,
cartoons became a gateway to humanity. How we live and interact with each other
is categorized into a 30 minute span. Though used as a way to facilitate the
minds of children, cartoons origins were traditionally created in order to
perpetuate propaganda. Racist images/characters, hidden messages, and much more
were illustrated to the public. Black characters were often marginalized and
stereotyped due to the hindrance of time. But the late 90's and early 2000's
provided a radical turning point in black animated characterization. These
changes not only defied stereotypes, but also set up a black culture revitalization
structured through white owned animation based channels. But enough of my spiel,
here are the black characters that essentially said “screw stereotypes, this is how its supposed to be."
1. Gerald Johanssen - Hey Arnold
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Starting off strong with one of my favorites is the guy himself, Gerald. He was the voice of reason and Arnold's best friend. He often told urban legends that were key plot points to specific episodes (ex. Stoop Kid). One of the most important concepts to this funny kid was his family life. A lot of his fellow classmates had some what of an aloof relationship with their parents and even the main character himself has no clear knowledge of his birth parents regardless of his grandparents stories. But Gerald proved to be one of the most sane and realistic characters to have ever graced animation.
2. Numbuh 5 a.k.a Abigail Lincoln - Codename: Kids Next Door
The second in command to Sector V (original leader), recruited Numbuh 1 a.k.a Nigel Uno (the leader throughout the series), and had a long lasting subplot that intertwined her into more complex episodes. Numbuh 5 showed kids how to lead in style. Calm, and collected, this girl had a knack for all of the skills that all her fellow teammates illustrated, making her the ideal kid to fight adult tyranny.
3. Cyborg a.k.a Victor Stone - Teen Titans
"BOOYAH!" Straight from the comics books and onto T.V. This Titan is the most intelligent and strongest out of all his teammates. He created the modifications for the tower they operate out of, modes of transportation, and pretty much overall anything that has to do with the sciences. The fact that Cyborg is black isn't the reason why he's discriminated against, but it's masked under the idea that he is perceived only "half human" because of his mechanical structure that "scares" people. The food loving teen is the friendliest, and kindest out of all his teammates, and they seek him for understanding. Also, just like Numbuh 5 he's the second in command.
4. Conroy Blanc - Rocket Power
Though a supporting character to the series, Conroy is far beyond the Caribbean accent he possesses. Not only is he the caretaker of Madtown, the skate park everyone enjoys in Ocean Shores, but he's an Elementary school teacher and happens to teach Otto and Twister. He doesn't play any games by the way, he takes teaching very seriously. He is also one of the best skaters in the show which was radical at that time, because skateboarding was a predominantly white sport.
5. Susie Carmichael - Rugrats
Same age as Angelica, but was on the side of the babies 24/7. Susie displayed loyalty among friends and knew corrupt when she saw it. She inspired Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil to stand up for themselves on the daily. Though Tommy was the leader of his toddler friends, Susie was the guide that helped them grow in a way, a micro-mother figure I might add.
6. Cornelius C. Fillmore - Fillmore!
Ladies, make sure your chicken is cooked...but not dry. Filmore is a no non-sense kid. He takes his job as a school safety patrol officer very seriously no matter the cost. Besides being the protagonist, Filmore has antihero like origins and constantly escapes those negatives in nearly every episode.
7. Static a.k.a Virgil Hawkins - Static Shock
He may not be Batman or Superman, but he was just what his city needed. Mask or no mask, Virgil was a humanitarian. His efforts to his school and community seeped far past his electromagnetic abilities. Having a show centered on Static ushered in a certain level of cool to comic book based cartoons. He actually saved the original members of the Justice League, and has even defeated notorious villains such as Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Brainiac, and Toyman.
8. A.J. - Fairly Odd Parents
Boy genius, wealthy, and one of Timmy Turner's best bro's. Everything seemed easy going for A.J. He was one of the only kids in his class to ever pass Mr. Crocker's exams with ease. Other than that, he illustrates that he doesn't need magic like Timmy. He just does things on his own. While Timmy is wishing for a burner, A.J. could build a weapon of his design within a matter of minutes. The boy even cloned himself!
9. Wade - Kim Possible
Now where would Kim Possible be without the guy behind her Kimmunicator? Wade is a 12 year old super genius who graduated college in 8 months. He gives Kim and Ron intel on situations and missions, and provides them with gadgets and other utilities to fight their foes. College grad is out doing it right!
10. Huey Freemen - The Boondocks
Okay, though The Boondocks was for matured audiences, we can honestly say that this show was still a part of some childhoods. With that said, Huey Freeman is an early 2000's character based off the comics. He appears to be the only one with sense in a world of hyper-ignorance. Huey navigates through hyperbolized situations with realistic ideals, sometimes radical and militant. Though socially conscious/equipped, this is not due to the forces around him. Even his own family illustrates the negative stereotypes that plague American people. But through this, Huey has a light that makes him the only character in the show to posses the propensity in changing the ignorant mindset.
This list is completely subjective but each of these characters adorned televisions and young minds around America. The commonality that these black animated wonders share is to provoke an influential mindset. Fan art, catch phrases, and even their style and personality are evident within American pop culture. Main character or supporting, they have secured their rightful place in animated history becoming more than just live drawings, but symbols of black culture and empowerment.
