Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
Mother’s Day is upon us yet again. It’s the joyous time of the year when we celebrate with flowers, cards and brunch the women who brought us into the world (and who have threatened to take us out of it) and/or those who have served a similar role in our lives.
If you’re into pop culture, then there are also a litany of fictional mothers who have become iconic symbols, especially in the Black community. Some of these mothers on television shows or movies have risen to the level of “icon” not just for the roles they played but for how they played the role. That’s why on this Mother’s Day, we’re going to give flowers to the mothers whose wisdom (and humor) helped complement lessons learned in real life. It’s time to give some flowers to great fictional favorite mothers.
Here is a list of five iconic fictional mothers who have impacted the culture and our lives and some lessons they’ve taught us.
1. Clair Huxtable from “The Cosby Show”
I mean come on. There is literally no list about fictional, iconic moms without Clair Huxtable from “The Cosby Show.” Mother to the entire Huxtable clan: Sandra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy—despite looking young enough that being Sandra’s mother almost makes no sense. She ran her house with style and finesse. Cliff knew what he was doing when he wifed her up. He found a GOAT-level wife and mother.
When she wasn’t slyly imparting knowledge and game to the Huxtable kids, she was absolutely letting them know what time it was. I think the kids nowadays would say, “clock it.” Because of Clair Huxtable, every time I drive to Baltimore, I think about going to see the Wretched. Because of Clair Huxtable, I have never had big fun with my friends at a Wretched concert in Baltimore, and that’s probably kept me alive all of these years.
2. Aunt Viv from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
My favorite fictional mother is from my favorite sitcom of all time, Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Aunt Viv was educated, rocking her Ph.D. from UCLA, but still held onto her West Philly roots. She could show you love and check you in the same sentence, sharing with you a hard lesson while giving you a soft place to land. And that happened a lot with her brood.
Hillary, Carlton and Ashley, and then Willie from Philly all needed as much TLC as they could get because life comes at you fast, even when you’re rich. Aunt Viv is the reason I thought about taking up dance when I was 40. I didn’t do it, but I did think about it because Aunt Viv absolutely stunned the world with her routine among the young gals at the dance class, making me believe, even today, that I can do anything. Love you lots, Aunt Viv!
3. Florida Evans “Good Time”
I won’t pretend like I grew up watching every episode of “Good Times,” because I didn’t. Its heyday was over before I was even born. But I’ve seen enough episodes and know enough about the lore to know about how Florida Evans got down, especially in the household with JJ, Thelma and Michael. But despite not being up on all of the ins and outs of the happenings in Chicago’s Cabrini Green projects (shouts out to Candyman) what I did get from Florida was even more priceless.
Since I first heard her yell, “DAMN DAMN DAMN!!” (because SPOILER ALERT…her husband, James Evans, was killed) I’ve been saying “damn” how she said it ever since. Outkast immortalized the phrase in song on “SpottieOttieDopalicious” from their 1998 classic record, “Aquemini” and I think the entire Black community has been made better off because of it. Salute to Florida Evans, for not only being an iconic mother but for providing us with a forever quotable.
4. Barbara Howard “Abbott Elementary”
Sheryl Lee Ralph has played a few iconic moms. She was Dee on “Moesha,” and RITA LOUISE WATSON’S mother in “Sister Act 2” who tried to stop Rita (Lauryn Hill) from singing in the All-State Music competition that saved her school. But one of my favorite versions of her motherness is on the show “Abbott Elementary” where she’s Barbara, a no-nonsense perennial teacher of the year candidate who doesn’t let her age or lack of resources stop her from being the mother figure the kids at the school need. I watch her love on those babies with style and grace and even though the show is newer, Barbara Howard is a one-of-one. Plus, the way she keeps everybody in check is a masterclass in shade. I love it and I love her.
5. Harriette Winslow from “Family Matters”
In the 1990s, I was one of biggest fans of “Family Matters.” Not because I thought the show was so great, but because I felt seen as a nerdy kid who wore glasses and who happened to (also) be in love withe Laura Winslow. To that end, Harriette Winslow was always in my house. Even on re-runs I catch her trying to teach Carl how to walk like a woman for an undercover mission and yelling “CARL!” when he does something boneheaded.
She kept Eddie, Laura and Judy (for a time) focused and engaged and I appreciated that strain of mothering. Plus, she let Urkel destroy her house over and over and kept letting him in, which showed me that she above all else, had a true heart of gold.
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, “Dear Culture” on theGrio Black Podcast Network. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest) but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said “Unknown” (Blackest).
