As a child, nothing made my weekends more enjoyable than waking up before my family and making a huge bowl of sugary cereal. Then, I would take over the living room to watch a variety of cartoons. Although my parents might deny it, cartoons were an amazing source of entertainment for me. I owe my vivid imagination and ability to visualize the characters and plots to almost every animated series that I watched in my childhood. My most fondest memory is of cartoons, from the characters to the bizarre plots to the catchy tunes that I probably know word-forword to this day. My list of favorite cartoons is quite long, but the number of Black characters in each series is what is lacking.
Growing up, even though animated series were limited in representation, the characters that I grew to love are top-tier. We are lucky to have some iconic Black cartoon characters—from superheroes to multi-faceted characters to teenagers just trying to navigate their life—grace our TV screens. If you’re looking to take a trip down memory lane with me, here is a short but certainly not complete list of the best Black cartoon characters that have a special place in my inner child’s heart.
Jodie Landon from Daria
Jodie was simply ahead her time. I felt deeply connected to her story as a Black student at school. I also admired her advocacy for Lawndale High’s lack of diversity. She was intelligent, witty and the perfect person for helping her friends out of difficult situations.
Miranda Killagllen Ginger’s Story
Although Miranda was one of the “mean girls” in Ginger’s StoryI am a big believer in character development. I loved watching her personality develop and become more kind towards the end. I didn’t take a liking to her being mean, but I have to give kudos to her sarcastic comebacks that were always quick and spot on. She always had the most adorable looks.
Trixie Carter American Dragon Long
Trixie Carter was the best at bringing their friends back to earth. The designated “mom friend”—her closest circle often referred to her as “Mama Trixie”—was loyal to her two best friends and helped protect the magical community. I loved the way she managed to be both a girl and a boy, as well as being a skilled skateboarder and cheerleader. She had high aspirations and dreams.
Penny Proud The Proud Family
It’s safe to say I’m at the edge of my seat waiting for the reboot to hit our TV screens. Penny was so sincere and willing to learn from her mistakes. I was inspired by her triumphs over bullying, school, crushes, and other preteen struggles. She was loyal and reliable, and always helped her family and friends when they needed.
Susie Carmichael Rugrats
Seriously, where would we all be without Susie Carmichael! I’d tell you where the Rugrats would be: probably under the evil rule of Angelica Pickles. Susie was the epitome of a Jane of all trades. She was a singer/dancer, dancer, multilingual, as well as Angelica’s constant defender. Like many of her Black cartoon counterparts, Susie was the perfect “mom friend” even though she was just a toddler.
Storm from X-Men
Storm is easily one of the most iconic Black characters of our time—I mean, how many can say they can control the weather? It was an honor to see a strong, confident, and powerful woman in my childhood, especially as she was one of few Black superheroes at the time.
Michiko Malandro Michiko & Hatchin
This list wouldn’t be complete without at least one anime character, and when it comes to who my favorite Black anime character is, Michiko is without a doubt #1 on that list. She is a true badass and escaped from one of the most difficult prisons. Michiko was not someone to be messed with and took on people who were much bigger than her in size—and made it look super easy. Not only was she one of the main characters, with her name being half of the show title, but her character was also inspired by the late R&B singer Aaliyah.
Libby Folax Jimmy Neutron
When it comes to cartoon characters, I don’t think it gets any better than Libby. First, she was a descendant Queen Hasabataslapya. This makes her Black royalty. If that didn’t sell it to you, she was also very stylish and well-versed in tech, having arguably the coolest gadgets (sorry, Jimmy). To top it all off, Libby had impeccable taste in music, with a diverse library of hip-hop, funk, and R&B, and a sense of humor that provided lots of comedic relief in the series.
Valerie Josie and The Pussycats
Not only was Valerie a talented musician of an amazing girl band, but she was also considered the “book smart” one of the group, excelling in math and mechanics. It was amazing to watch a character who was very intelligent and not styled in the stereotypical “nerdy” fashion. Valerie was both fashionable and bright, and she was the only member in the band who played multiple instruments.
Foxxy Love Drawn Together
Created as a parody on Valerie Josie and The PussycatsFoxxy Love is an adult cartoon character that is bold and hilarious. Drawn Together. Her character was definitely intended to poke fun on stereotypes about Blacks, but she is a sexually fluid character which is something we rarely see in cartoons or Black characters.
Source: The Every Girl