How many African-American's in lead/recurring roles?

Hello, all.

I just replied to bethandmanly's question about guest actors we liked or didn't like. Good topic!

Under that topic, I replied to Gin's comment about how she liked Todd Bridges, and how it would have been nice to have seen more African-American actors on the show. I agree to both points, Gin.

My question - How many African-American actors were there on the show who had speaking and somewhat lead/recurring roles?

I can think of these characters....

Hester-Sue
Solomon
Um..the doctor and his wife (sorry, can't think of the names)
Joe Kagen
The little girl playing young Hester-Sue in A Christmas They Never Forgot.
The actors playing " " " 's parents in A Christmas They Never Forgot.

There were also several kids who had been students at Hester Sue's school and were students at the Walnut Grove blind school.

Right....the extras. I was talking about any with speaking parts...enough to have their name listed in the end credits if not the begining.

I rememeber two more - the little boy who tried to make friends with Harriette when they all traveled from the city to Walnut Grove for the new school. She eventually held his hand as they all gathered around the new school.

The other little boy was talking to Mary on the school steps about people wanting little babies and him wanting parents, too (or something like that). It's just before the scene where Mary's pain began and she lost her baby.

LM wrote:

Right....the extras. I was talking about any with speaking parts...enough to have their name listed in the end credits if not the begining.

I rememeber two more - the little boy who tried to make friends with Harriette when they all traveled from the city to Walnut Grove for the new school. She eventually held his hand as they all gathered around the new school.

The other little boy was talking to Mary on the school steps about people wanting little babies and him wanting parents, too (or something like that). It's just before the scene where Mary's pain began and she lost her baby.

I think the boy who tried to make friends with Harriet was named Samson and for some reason the name Eli comes to mind when I think of Mary and her miscarriage, but I might be wrong.

The doctor and his wife were Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Ledoux, and though they supposedly stayed in Walnut Grove, we never see them again. Just as in Season 9 Dr. Marvin pops up out of nowhere and supposedly has been practicing in town for a while.

And if we want to expand this topic out a bit to include other races, we have the Indians who appeared in the The Pilot, the one who saved Charles's life in the episode "Survival" when the family is forced to seek shelter in an abandoned cabin from a blizzard while on the way home, and the young boy Spotted Eagle, who came to Walnut Grove with his mother in "Injun Kid".

There might be others, but I can't think of any right now.

I believe you're right about both names for the boys.

Dr. & Mrs. Ledoux. Right. Thanks.

I'd forgotten about that other doctor. Unless there was another, you mean the one where Doc Baker retired after Stanley died, and the new and uncarring doctor came in?

Other Native-American characters with speaking roles...the family with the chief who'd suffered a stroke. Doc Baker and the Ingalls family helped hide and take care of them. I was surprised at Mary's attitude. I guess she'd gotten caught up in the topic in school as some of her classmates weren't fond of them.

What about the little boy who was supposed to be the son of a chief in a Halloween episode? Laura and Albert got into a case of mistaken identity in Albert's dream.

Taking the topic a bit further,...I recall at least one Asian character with a speaking part. The ep where Charles and Mr. Edwards are working with a team of men who blew out mountains for caves or something like that.

I look forward to what more you can add. I'm enjoying this.

LM wrote:

I'd forgotten about that other doctor. Unless there was another, you mean the one where Doc Baker retired after Stanley died, and the new and uncarring doctor came in?

No, this was much later in the series. In "Marvin's Garden" Jenny Wilder almost drowns trying to reach her locket that fell into the swimming hole. She suffers brain damage and is sent to work with Dr. Marvin, who we are led to believe has been in Walnut Grove a long time. Dr. Marvin is dealing with struggles of his own, as he is losing his eye sight. He and Jenny form a bond and are able to help each other.

Oh, yeah. I remember, now. Jenny's therapy was tending to Dr. Marvin's flower garden.

I liked him much better than the doctor I mentioned.

Thanks.