Funky Turns 50: Black Character Revolution

The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversaries of the first appearances of positive Black animation characters in television history. This exhibition features a sampling of original 1970's Animation Artwork from the Museum Of UnCut Funk Collection, which consists of over 800 Original Animation Cels, Drawings and Storyboards featuring Black characters that were used to produce 1970's cartoons. Sixty pieces of artwork from our collection is currently traveling to museums around the country as the Funky Turns 50: Black Character Revolution Exhibition.

Funky Turns 50 Logo, From the collection of: Museum Of UnCut Funk
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Funky Turns 40 Background Video by Museum Of UnCut FunkMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Peter Jones Cartoon Panel (1969-09-06/1971-09-04) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Hardy Boys Original Production Cel 1 (1969-09-06/1971-09-04) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Peter Jones

First Positive Black Male Character And Musician To Appear In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Hey Hey Hey It's Fat Albert Primetime Special Publicity Ad 1 (1969-11-12/1969-11-12) by Campbell-Silver-Cosby CorporationMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Ad Featuring Original Fat Albert Gang

First Positive Black Cast Cartoon / Black Cast Primetime Animated Special To Appear On Television

Hey Hey Hey It's Fat Albert Primetime Special Publicity Photo 1 (1969-11-12/1969-11-12) by Campbell-Silver-Cosby CorporationMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Publicity Photo Featuring Original Fat Albert Character

First Positive Black Cast Cartoon / Black Cast Primetime Animated Special To Appear On Television

Where's Huddles Original Production Drawing 1 (1970-07-01/1970-09-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Drawing Featuring Ed Huddles, Freight Train, Bubba McCoy

Freight Train Was The First Positive Black Male Character And Athlete To Appear In A Primetime Cartoon Series

Harlem Globetrotters Original Production Cel 1 (1970-09-12/1972-09-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring George “Meadowlark” Lemon, J.C. “Gip” Gibson

First Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series And First Featuring Black Athletes

Harlem Globetrotters Original Production Cel 2 (1970-09-12/1972-09-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring George “Meadowlark” Lemon

First Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series And First Featuring Black Athletes

Harlem Globetrotters Original Production Cel 3 (1970-09-12/1972-09-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring J.C. “Gip” Gibson, Bobby Joe Mason, Pablo Robertson

First Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series And First Featuring Black Athletes

Valerie Brown Cartoon Panel (1970-09-12/1971-01-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Josie And The Pussy Cats Original Production Cel 1 (1970-09-12/1971-01-02) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Valerie Brown

First Black Character In An Archie Comic (1968)

First Positive Black Female Character And Musician In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Soul Train Original Production Cel 1 (1971-10-02/2006-03-25) by Don Cornelius ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring The Soul Train

Soul Train Was The First Syndicated Black Television Series To Feature An Animated Opening Segment

The Soul Train Was Created By Black Animators

Soul Train Original Production Drawing 1 (1971-10-02/2006-03-25) by Don Cornelius ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Drawing Featuring The Soul Train

Soul Train Was The First Syndicated Black Television Series To Feature An Animated Opening Segment

The Soul Train Was Created By Black Animators

Jackson Five Original Production Cel 1 (1971-09-11/1973-09-01) by Motown Productions, Rankin/Bass ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie

First Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Featuring Black Musicians

First Television Series Produced By Motown

Jackson Five Original Production Cel 2 (1971-09-11/1973-09-01) by Motown Productions, Rankin/Bass ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, Jackie

First Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Featuring Black Musicians

First Television Series Produced By Motown

Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids Original Production Cel 1 (1972-09-09/1985-08-10) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Bill, Fat Albert, Mushmouth, Dumb Donald, Bucky, Russell, Rudy, Weird Harold

Longest Running Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids Original Production Cel 2 (1977-10-24/1977-10-24) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Bill, Fat Albert, Mushmouth, Bucky, Russell, Weird Harold

Longest Running Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids Original Model Sheet 1 (1972-09-09/1985-08-10) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Model Cel Featuring Bill, Fat Albert, Dumb Donald, Russell

Longest Running Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Fat Albert And The Cosby Kids Original Model Sheet 2 (1972-09-09/1985-08-10) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Model Cel Featuring Mushmouth, Bucky, Rudy, Weird Harold

Longest Running Positive Black Cast Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Brown Hornet And Fat Albert Original Production Cel 1 (1979-09-08/1981-09-16) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Fat Albert, Brown Hornet

Brown Hornet Original Model Sheet 1 (1979-09-08/1981-09-16) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Model Cel Featuring Brown Hornet, Stinger, Tweeter Belle, Space Ship

Kid Power Original Production Cel 1.jpg (1972-09-16/1974-09-01) by Rankin/Bass ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Diz, Nipper

First Multicultural Saturday Morning Cartoon Series, First Featuring Positive Black Characters From A Syndicated Comic Strip, Morrie Turner’s Wee Pals

Clerow Wilson And The Miracle Of P.S. 14 Publicity Photo 1 (1972-11-12/1972-11-12) by DePatie-Freleng, Clerow ProductionsMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Publicity Photo Featuring Clerow Wilson

First Positive Black Characters From A Television Series, The Flip Wilson Show, To Appear As The Same Characters In A Primetime Cartoon Special

Schoolhouse Rock I Got Six Original Production Cel 1 (1973/1986) by Schoolhouse RockMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Limited Edition Cel Featuring Little Boy From I Got Six

First Black Character In A Schoolhouse Rock Episode

Peanuts Franklin Original Production Cel 1 (1973-03-11/1973-03-11) by Charles SchultzMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Franklin Armstrong

First Black Character In A Peanuts Comic Strip (1968) And Peanuts Cartoon Special - There's No Time For Love Charlie Brown (1973)

Star Trek Original Production Cel 1 (1973-09-08/1974-10-12) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Lt. Uhura

First Positive Black Character From A Television Series, Star Trek, To Appear As The Same Character In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series.

Verb Cartoon Panel (1974/1986) by Schoolhouse RockMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Schoolhouse Rock Verb Original Production Cel 1 (1974/1986) by Schoolhouse RockMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Verb

First Black Male Superhero Character In A Cartoon

Hong Kong Phooey Original Production Cel 1 (1974-09-07/1974-12-21) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Hong Kong Phooey

First Black Male Superhero Character In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

U.S. Of Archie Original Model Cel 1 (1974-09-07/1976-09) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Chuck Clayton

First Black Male Character In An Archie Comic (1971), First Black Male Character In An Archie Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Astrea Cartoon Panel (1977-09-10) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Space Sentinels Original Production Cel 1 (1977-09-10) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Astrea

First Black Female Superhero Character In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

I Am The Greatest Original Production Cel 1 (1977-09-10/1978-09-02) by Farmhouse Films, Fred Calvert Productions, TCFMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Muhammad Ali

Billy Jo Jive Original Production Cel 1 (1978-11-27) by Shearer Visuals, Children’s Television Workshop, PBSMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Billy Jo Jive And Smart Susie Sunset

First Positive Cartoon Series Featuring Black Characters To Be Created From A Series Of Children’s Books

Billy Jo Jive Original Production Cel 2 (1978-11-27) by Shearer Visuals, Children’s Television Workshop, PBSMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Billy Jo Jive

First Positive Cartoon Series Featuring Black Characters To Be Created From A Series Of Children’s Books

SuperStretch And MicroWoman Original Production Cel 1 (1979-09-09) by Filmation AssociatesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring Superstretch and Microwoman - Chris and Christy Cross

First Black Superhero Duo And First Black Husband And Wife Superhero Duo In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

Super Globetrotters Original Production Cel 1 (1979-09-22/1979-12-15) by Hanna-BarberaMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Original Production Cel Featuring The Super Globetrotters

First Black Superhero Team In A Saturday Morning Cartoon Series

BeBe's Kids Publicity Cel 1 by Paramount PicturesMuseum Of UnCut Funk

Publicity Cel Featuring The Cast From The Animated Feature Film Bebe's Kids - Robin, Jamika, Leon, PeeWee, Kahlil and LaShawn

First Positive Animated Feature With An Entirely Black Main Cast

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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