CBS’ ‘I LOVE LUCY’
10/15/1951
First show to feature a multi-ethnic marriage on American television. Lead actor Desi Arnaz is the first Latino on an English-language primetime show.
CBS STUDIOS’ STAR TREK’
1/22/1968
First show to air a full interracial kiss between a Black (Uhura) and a white (Kirk) character on American television.
CBS SPORTS
09/21/1975
Irv Cross becomes the first Black full-time sports analyst on national television when he joins CBS Sports in 1971. In 1975, he is named an original member of CBS Sports' pregame show "The NFL Today."
CBS SPORTS
09/21/1975
Phyllis George joins CBS Sports' pregame show "The NFL Today," becoming the first female sportscaster at a major TV network.
CBS NEWS
12/02/1976
Ed Bradley becomes the first Black White House correspondent for a TV network. In 1981 he makes his debut as the first Black correspondent on "60 MINUTES."
CBS NEWS
11/27/1978
Lesley Stahl becomes CBS News' first female White House correspondent.
CBS SPORTS
05/26/1984
Lesley Visser joins CBS Sports covering Game 1 of the NBA Finals (Lakers-Celtics) and her long and prestigious trailblazing career leads to her becoming the first woman to receive the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Emmys in 2020.
MTV’S ‘YO MTV RAPS!’
08/06/1988
Introduces rap music and hip-hop culture to an entire generation.
MTV’S ‘THE REAL WORLD’
06/30/1994
Pedro Zamora becomes one of the first HIV-positive, openly gay men to appear on mainstream television.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES’ 'FORREST GUMP’
07/06/1994
The Oscar-winning film includes multidimensional primary characters with mental and physical disabilities.
NICK JR.’S ‘GULLAH GULLAH ISLAND’
10/24/1994
One of the first preschool shows to feature a majority of African American characters.
SHOWTIME’S ‘SOUL FOOD’
06/28/2000
Premiere of this highly anticipated drama series starring an all-Black cast and airing in primetime, which goes on to garner multiple NAACP Image Awards over its four-year run.
NICKELODEON'S 'DORA THE EXPLORER’
08/14/2000
Premiere of animated children’s adventure series with a Latina heroine who uses English and Spanish to communicate with her friends, overcome obstacles and reach her goals. The show becomes a global phenomenon.
BET’S ‘106 & PARK’
09/11/2000
Daily countdown show honors hip hop and R&B music and draws a devoted audience.
SHOWTIME’S ‘QUEER AS FOLK’
12/03/2000
First hour-long drama to explore the lives of gay men and women in America premieres, going on to run for five seasons.
‘BET AWARDS’
06/19/2001
The first 'BET Awards' takes place in 2001, making it the first award show that celebrates Black excellence in all forms.
COMEDY CENTRAL’S ‘CHAPPELLE’S SHOW’
01/22/2003
Groundbreaking comedy show challenges racial and gender norms.
CBS EVENING NEWS
09/05/2006
With the debut of “CBS Evening News with Katie Couric,” Couric becomes the first solo female anchor on broadcast evening news.
NICK JR.’S ‘NI HAO, KAI-KAN’
11/05/2007
Cartoon exposes preschoolers to Chinese culture and the Mandarin language.
VH1’S ‘RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE’
02/02/2009
Reality competition helps to bring drag culture into the mainstream and encourages awareness and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.
‘MTV SHUGA’
12/01/2009
Drama series destigmatizes taboo issues related to relationships and sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES' 'SELMA'
12/25/2014
Director Ava DuVernay becomes the first woman of color to direct an Oscar nominee for Best Picture.
NICKELODEON'S 'THE LOUD HOUSE'
05/02/2016
Animated series features an interracial, same-sex couple, as well as stereotype-defying portrayals of young females.
CBS ALL ACCESS’ ‘STAR TREK: DISCOVERY’
09/19/2017
"Star Trek: Discovery" premieres with Sonequa Martin-Green as the first Black female lead of a Star Trek show.
SHOWTIME’S ‘THE CHI’
01/07/2018
Drama series created by Lena Waithe premieres, giving an in-depth look at the African American community in the South Side of Chicago.
CBS NEWS
03/01/2019
Susan Zirinsky is the first woman to be named president of CBS News.
MTV'S 'ARE YOU THE ONE'
06/26/2019
All cast members of the reality show’s eighth season are sexually fluid.
COMEDY CENTRAL'S 'AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS'
01/22/2020
The brand’s first series starring and featuring a predominantly Asian American cast.
POP TV’S ‘SCHITT’S CREEK’
04/07/2020
Series finale featuring the wedding of two gay characters aired simultaneously across Pop TV, Comedy Central and Logo and draws the show’s highest ratings.
CBS NEWS’ ‘JOHN LEWIS: CELEBRATING A HERO’
08/04/2020
One-hour primetime special honoring the life of Congressman John Lewis, hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Gayle King and Brad Pitt.