Before Oprah Winfrey, Della Reese paved the way for Black women-hosted talk shows. Although Reese's legacy is undeniably incredible, her 1969 talk show was short-lived and mostly erased from history.
The show was a hit! So why haven't more of us heard of it?
“Della!” was a talk show that featured some of the biggest stars in entertainment, from Muhammad Ali to Gladys Knight – but Reese was the true star. She was a charismatic conversationalist and an excellent singer who would sometimes perform alongside her guests.
But it didn't last long – for an absurdly racist reason.
"The man who was selling our show said he couldn't sell our show,” Reese told the Archive of American Television in 2008, “because my gums were black.” THAT was the reason he gave? "That was his rationale – that my gums were not pink. Every time I smiled, I turned people off."
Unfortunately, this kind of ridiculous racism continues in entertainment today.
Hollywood is still governed by racist standards. Without Black people who value Black stories in crucial roles in TV and film, the diminishing of our culture and stories will continue.
Never defined by THEIR beauty standards, Della Reese kept doing her – and had a successful career. Like Reese, we can never let racism stop us from being who we wish to be! We must persevere regardless of what white supremacy says about us.