“The Jeffersons,” which debuted a half-century ago this year, presented the image of an upwardly mobile Black businessman, George Jefferson.

1. Esther Rolle An award-winning actress best known for her role as Florida Evans on Good Times, Esther Rolle brought grace and strength to her performances.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Esther Elizabeth Rolle (November 8, 1920 – November 17, 1998) was a Bahamian American actress. Rolle is best known for her role as Florida Evans, on the CBS ...

Many African-American members of my generation who grew up watching “Good Times” reacted to the delayed news of the recent passing of John Amos as we would of a close relative.

John Amos and Esther Rolle were the parents at the center of “Good Times” for the show’s first three seasons. CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images ...

When I interviewed actress Esther Rolle during her Boston run in a Huntington Theatre production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” as someone who first saw her in the 1970s ...

Amos, who played James Evans Sr. in the 1970s sitcom Good Times, showed TV critic Eric Deggans what it was like to have a concerned, ethical father at home. Behind the scenes, Amos pushed for more ...

In 1974, CBS debuted Good Times, where Amos and Esther Rolle played James and Florida Evans, parents struggling to keep their kids’ heads above water in a Chicago housing project.

John Amos, the actor who played James Evans Sr. on 'Good Times,' adult Kunta Kinte on 'Roots' and Cleo McDowell in 'Coming to America,' has died. He was 84.

Ralph Carter, BernNadette Stanis, Ja’Net DuBois, John Amos, Esther Rolle, Jimmie Walker. Courtesy Everett Collection Amos was only on “Good Times” for the first three seasons.