--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a time when it was an event for a…" description: "\"There's a time when it was an event for a black person to be on television. Where black households would gather around, 'Oh, you know, Sammy Davis is g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/sterling-k-brown-3532_big_there-s-a-time-when-it-was-an-event-for_2251716.jpg" --- # There's a time when it was an event for a black person to… ![“There's a time when it was an event for a black person to be on television. Where black households would gather around, 'Oh, you know, Sammy Davis is going to be on 'All in the Family' tonight! Let's go check it out!' It was a big, big thing.” quote by Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/sterling-k-brown-3532_big_there-s-a-time-when-it-was-an-event-for_2251716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/sterling-k-brown-3532_big_there-s-a-time-when-it-was-an-event-for_2251716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a2/sterling-k-brown-3532_big_there-s-a-time-when-it-was-an-event-for_2251716.jpg) > “There's a time when it was an event for a black person to be on television. Where black households would gather around, 'Oh, you know, Sammy Davis is going to be on 'All in the Family' tonight! Let's go check it out!' It was a big, big thing.” [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Highlights how early TV appearances of Black performers were culturally significant and communal events. **In simple terms:** Early Black TV moments were big community events. Key Takeaway Support and celebrate diverse media representation. Themes representation culture media history community Mood reflective hopeful Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - educational programming - family viewing - media analysis Key Concepts racial visibility social impact collective identity Questions to Reflect On - Why do such milestones matter today? - How can we preserve this cultural memory? A Different Perspective Modern audiences may overlook historic context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Sammy davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sammy-davis/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Black families, regardless of income, are significantly less wealthy than white families. The Pew Research Center estimates that white households are worth roughly 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/black-families-regardless-of-income-are-significantly-less-wealthy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm trying to use euphemisms here, trying to avoid saying there was no television for black folks, which they knew was for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-cornelius/i-m-trying-to-use-euphemisms-here-trying-to-avoid-saying-there-was-no/) [Don Cornelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-cornelius/) > [Television had a black president long before Barack Obama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rocky-carroll/television-had-a-black-president-long-before-barack-obama/) [Rocky Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rocky-carroll/) > [But when I see a story on welfare on television, they only show black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/but-when-i-see-a-story-on-welfare-on-television-they-only-show-black/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [My philosophy, like color television, is all there in black and white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-philosophy-like-color-television-is-all-there-in-black-and-white/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I started to work in television for three or four years, in 1954. There was one channel of television, black and white. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-started-to-work-in-television-for-three-or-four-years-in-1954-there/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I don't think the mainstream media understands people of color are multidimensional. For some reason, there's an idea that only white people are relatable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-don-t-think-the-mainstream-media-understands-people-of-color-are/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [I can't believe that person on the television is really me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-moon/i-can-t-believe-that-person-on-the-television-is-really-me/) [Keith Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-moon/) > [I know when I was growing up in New York, whenever I turned on the television, I never saw a face that looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yunjin-kim/i-know-when-i-was-growing-up-in-new-york-whenever-i-turned-on-the/) [Yunjin Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yunjin-kim/) > [I am a more rounded person than you see on television. You don't bark your way to being a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-meaden/i-am-a-more-rounded-person-than-you-see-on-television-you-don-t-bark/) [Deborah Meaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-meaden/) > [I get more emails and calls when it comes to money than probably any other single person on television when it comes to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-get-more-emails-and-calls-when-it-comes-to-money-than-probably-any/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I have to grit my teeth sometimes, knowing I am going to be written about. But I think it is my life, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-have-to-grit-my-teeth-sometimes-knowing-i-am-going-to-be-written/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [I think Les Moonves is the most highly overrated person in television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-les-moonves-is-the-most-highly-overrated-person-in-television/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We don't see the people who are doing real things getting enough props. We often see politicians who are everywhere but nowhere at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/we-don-t-see-the-people-who-are-doing-real-things-getting-enough/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I don't think I'm really a rude person, but now I see myself on television, I think, 'Oh, God, that is a bit strong.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-anderson/i-don-t-think-i-m-really-a-rude-person-but-now-i-see-myself-on/) [Clive Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-anderson/) ## More by Sterling K. Brown > [It would be really cool to have my dad here to witness this, to see his grandchildren, to see this woman that I chose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/it-would-be-really-cool-to-have-my-dad-here-to-witness-this-to-see/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [The humanity that is given to other people isn't given to us. There is an expendability that comes along with being African American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/the-humanity-that-is-given-to-other-people-isn-t-given-to-us-there-is/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I want to be remembered for a body of work so that when the next guy comes up, he could think of Sterling K.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-want-to-be-remembered-for-a-body-of-work-so-that-when-the-next-guy/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [What was so lovely about 'O.J.' and 'This Is Us' to a certain extent is that I got a chance to surprise people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/what-was-so-lovely-about-o-j-and-this-is-us-to-a-certain-extent-is/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [The work of acting, in and of itself, is something that is infinitely enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/the-work-of-acting-in-and-of-itself-is-something-that-is-infinitely/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I have a certain memory of the way in which my father loved me until I was 10, and it was unconditional and eternal.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-have-a-certain-memory-of-the-way-in-which-my-father-loved-me-until/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [A couple of my favorite actors are Don Cheadle, Jeffrey Wright, and, may he rest in peace, Philip Seymour Hoffman. I've had an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/a-couple-of-my-favorite-actors-are-don-cheadle-jeffrey-wright-and-may/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I didn't grow up feeling very handsome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-didn-t-grow-up-feeling-very-handsome/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I was at Stanford University up in the West Coast Bay Area, so the biggest song of my freshman year was 'I Got 5…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-was-at-stanford-university-up-in-the-west-coast-bay-area-so-the/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I try not to get too high off the highs or too low off the lows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-try-not-to-get-too-high-off-the-highs-or-too-low-off-the-lows/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I lived in St. Louis, Missouri, and now my kids are growing up in Los Angeles, so that's culturally very different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-lived-in-st-louis-missouri-and-now-my-kids-are-growing-up-in-los/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I went to a college prep high school in St. Louis, Missouri. When I graduated from school, I owned this thing called the Headmaster's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-went-to-a-college-prep-high-school-in-st-louis-missouri-when-i/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [It's a very frightening feeling to feel like you can have a busted taillight or wear a hoodie or be playing in a park,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/it-s-a-very-frightening-feeling-to-feel-like-you-can-have-a-busted/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [I went to Target once and picked up three seasons of '24' - what I call the Jack Bauer power hour - and watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/i-went-to-target-once-and-picked-up-three-seasons-of-24-what-i-call/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [Busy is good, you know. Busy is better than bored, and there's more recognition. Like, I try to feign the anonymity which I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/busy-is-good-you-know-busy-is-better-than-bored-and-there-s-more/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) [Explore all 128 Sterling K. Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a time when it was an event for a black person to be on television. 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