The Evolution of Black Moms on TV: From the Strictest to the Messiest
As Mother’s Day approaches, it’s got us thinking and talking about the women who raised us, protected us, sometimes embarrassed us, and, in some cases—read us for filth before we could even finish a sentence. And not just the ones in real life—the fictional ones, too.
In particular, we’re thinking about Black TV moms who have long reflected the evolution of Black womanhood on-screen: from the super strict matriarchs who ruled their households with iron fists to the deeply flawed and hilariously messy moms who were just trying to do the best for their families.
That’s why we felt it fitting to take a look back at some of these moms to see how that representation shifted over time and give a nod to some of the characters that gave us fun, core memories regardless of it all. Keep reading for more!
Florida Evans- “Good Times”
Florida Evans was the blueprint for strict Black TV mamas, thanks to “Good Times.” While she leaned on her faith, she was a woman who also believed in disciplining your children enough so that they’d learn the lesson that would keep them alive and out of trouble. Damn, damn, damn—these kids had to learn some kind of way!
Mabel King- “What’s Happening!!”
Mabel King’s “Mama Thomas” ran her household with a voice and sternness that made everybody straighten up immediately. And while she was comedic in some ways, she was mean in others, enough to get the point across that foolery and buffoonery had no place under her roof or in the lives of the ones she loved.
Claire Huxtable- “The Cosby Show”
Ahh, Claire Huxtable. The queen of the classy clap-back, the eloquent reads, and the snatchery of her kids’ eyebrows when they got out of line. While you may not immediately categorize Claire as “strict” or “mean,” you’d be lying if you said she wasn’t the mother who put her foot down and kept it there when her kids (or Elvin) got out of line. You didn’t want to cross Claire, regardless of that sweet smile she had or the chic suits she wore. You were playing with fire if you did.
Harriet Winslow- “Family Matters”
While Harriet Winslow rarely got loud with her discipline, she still let it be known that foolishness and disobedience were a non-starter in their home. Though her husband Carl got a lot of airtime for being a disciplinarian due to his job as a cop, you couldn’t sleep on Harriet’s quiet authority and ability to check people when they needed to be checked.
Darkskinned Aunt Viv- “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
Though “darkskinned Aunt Viv” played by Janet Hubert did have her funny moments, all those kids in the Banks household knew she wasn’t the one or the two to play with. Whether she was giving out a verbal lashing to Will or her own husband, we knew Vivian Banks was the real person running a tight ship in that household. After all, they had a reputation to uphold.
Dee- “Moesha”
The beef Moesha had with Dee in “Moesha” was one that a lot of teenage girls could relate to. While we understood her motive of just wanting to keep her safe and out of trouble, Dee took step-parenting to a whole other level by being an enforcer first and a warm mother afterwards. You could lighten up, Dee!
Rochelle- “Everybody Hates Chris”
If there was any TV mom that was going to make sure their kids got whooped and let her boss know that she wasn’t going to take any stuff off of them because her husband worked two jobs—it was going to be Rochelle from “Everybody Hates Chris.” All those kids knew not to step out of line and to be home by curfew because she was one of those moms whose grace was limited and belt stretched wide for whoopings, if need be.
Lightskinned Aunt Viv- “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
Now, it’s true that lightskinned Aunt Viv didn’t play either. But in comparison to Hubert’s version, Daphne Maxwell Reid’s take on the character was a bit more fun, and a lot less strict. She also had her messy moments, too, and threw her shade, but she was a family woman through and through.
Lisa Landry- “Sister, Sister”
Lisa Landry may have been loud and about her clothing line, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t squeeze in time for a little mess now and then—especially when it came to her relationship with Ray. Yet and still, for as much chaos as she might’ve caused, she was always there for the girls when they needed her most.
Nikki Parker- “The Parkers”
Nikki and Kim Parker were a mother-daughter duo that was both fashionable and always real. But Lord knows Nikki used to get them both in some messy situations and just cause way too much ruckus when there didn’t have to be. (At least it made for good entertainment!)
Big Dee Dee- “Half & Half”
The great thing about Big Dee Dee on “Half and Half” is that 10/10, her mess was hilarious. Yes, she was a bougie Black mom who wore a pixie cut wig like nobody’s business and meddled in things when she shouldn’t have—but she always had her daughter’s best interest at heart and made us laugh. Who doesn’t love that?
Tasha Mack- “The Game”
One thing about Tasha Mack, she was always looking out for her son Malik and always trying to secure the best deals and the next big thing for him! But we’ve got to admit, she could be a bit much, a whole lot of the time, and could really drum up the petty and mess if it benefited her. We know she meant well, though.
Ruby Johnson- “Black-ish”
There wasn’t a day that went by on “Blackish” where Ruby (Andre’s mom) wasn’t pulling the strings behind the scenes to drive her daughter-in-law crazy, being overbearing in their household, or causing some sort of discord between the family. But we always knew, despite her messy methods, there was a heart of gold waiting to be seen and a deep desire to see everybody flourish.
Cookie Lyon- “Empire”
When it comes to TV moms who were ruthless, unapologetically themselves, and shadier than a big palm tree on a hot day, Cookie Lyon is near the top of the list. Throughout “Empire,” her ambition and issues with her ex drove a lot of her petty decision-making. But underneath it all was an emotionally damaged woman who was fiercely loyal to her children and would fight to the death against anybody who threatened them or what they all built together.
Mae Greenleaf- “Greenleaf”
Mae Greenleaf embodied the messy and often secretive Black church matriarch whose devotion to her family often got entangled with her quest for power and control. And while she wasn’t always easy to root for, it was clear that she deeply cared for her family and their legacy—despite the weird way she’d show it.
