By Edward C. Lee
Emmy nominated actress (1986), Clarice Taylor passed away this week at the age of 93. She is best known for her role as Anna Huxtable, Bill Cosby’s mother on The Cosby Show. I remember when the Cosby Show was in its prime, there were those that felt that the show was not a real picture of “Black America.” It was an argument that I did not agree with then, and I still don’t get that. I think all people desire and strive to be in and have healthy loving families. So at the occasion of Ms. Taylor’s passing, I wanted to write this post in honor of what she stood for in her recurring and groundbreaking role as a faithful grandmother and mother, both on the Cosby Show and Sesame Street.
As Anna Huxtable, Clarice helped many to understand and embrace the reality of a healthy African American family. She and Cliff’s dad were married to each other on the show for years 50 years and passed on their love and wisdom to their children and offspring with laughter and love. Now, there is no need to denigrate any of our “other” favorite African American television families but Anna Huxtable, with her distinctive voice, was part of a positive imagery of the black family that still endures even 20 years after it is off the air (Wow, I am getting old.)
We are now in a time when there is much debate about African American women being portrayed on television as “angry” and bitter. So it all the more fitting that the memory of one that always represented what our women are really like – faithful wives, doting grandmothers and beloved mothers – should be highlighted and remembered as a model for the love and strength of character that African American families really are built on.
So we thank God for the life and television model seen through the life of Clarice Taylor. BMWK family do you have a favorite memory or episode of Clarice “Anna Huxtable” Taylor?
Edward is an Ordained Minister, host of the blog: elevateyourmarriage.com and Author of two first of their kind marriage books, Husbands, Wives, God: Introducing the Marriages of the Bible to Your Marriage and his new book, Husbands, Wives, God – Weekly Devotions: 52 Weeks of Relationship Enriching Devotions. Follow Edward on his blog or on Facebook at Husbands, Wives, God.