A Different World: The Cosby Show

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A Different World
“A Different World” was a spin-off sitcom of the “The Cosby Show,” which aired for six seasons between 1987-1993. It focused on primarily African American college students at the fictitious historical black college (HBCU), Hillman College, in Virginia. Before the Civil War, there was no form of higher education provided to African Americans, and higher education was prohibited in certain parts of the country. In 1892, the second Morrill Act was passed requiring states to create separate land grant colleges for African Americans if they were being denied access from the existing colleges. Many of the HBCUs were founded by states to meet the Second Morrill Act. HBCUs were defined as a “Historically black colleges and universities
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Growing up, Sheila and Johnbrown probably did see the “black people acting the fool.” (3) On shows like “Good Times,” “Julia,” and “Sanford and Sons” black people either lived in a world where racism didn’t exist, “Julia.” Or, in a world where being black was made a negative thing, where black people lived in either junkyards or the projects and where having “rent parties,” when someone hosts a party and charges money for people to come into the party and for food and gives the money raised to a person who needs help paying their rent, was a common thing. None of the characters Johnbrown saw on television reflected him or his opinions. And because Johnbrown couldn’t find himself among these black television shows, he began to assume that all black television was and would continue to be that way. Sheila, may have seen her surroundings growing up reflected in those shows, living in the projects, worrying about bills and rent, but wanted to separate herself from that as much as possible, “Maybe it was only inevitable that a girl from the projects might like to have a powder room.”(79) And when Sheila had a chance to really distance herself from her past she took full advantage of it, she moved into a big house, permed her hair, and got into a “normal” relationship that offered financial security. So, instead of just wanting Kenya not being exposed to “black people acting the fool,” Johnbrown and Sheila didn’t want to bring their pasts into their

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