Final answer:
The first black star in a TV sitcom was initially Jackie 'Moms' Mabley, followed by Bill Cosby, who drastically altered the television landscape for black actors with his lead role in I Spy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first black to star in a TV situation comedy was Jackie 'Moms' Mabley, who appeared in A Time to Laugh in the early 1960s. However, if referring to the first black actor to star in a regularly scheduled network television show, it was Bill Cosby in the NBC show I Spy, starting in 1965.
Prior to these advances in television, the landscape for black performers was quite different and more challenging. In the early 20th century, African American theatre saw success with performers like Bert Williams and George Walker.
Yet, these early years also witnessed a proliferation of stereotypical roles that African American actors were relegated to, which were often demeaning and failed to reflect the true diversity and humanity of black experiences.
This began to change with the work of trailblazers like Oscar Micheaux, who produced films with dignified roles for African Americans, and later, with television milestones achieved by individuals aforementioned.