Bill Cosby Scandal Particularly Painful For African Americans

Like many people who grew up on The Cosby Show in the '80s, I've been watching the rape allegations swarming around Bill Cosby with shock and sadness. Those of us who have been fans of his comedy for decades feel a sense of loss that the man once known as America's Father may be someone we never really knew at all.

The Cosby Show presented a positive image of
an intact, functional black family.

I'm sure I'm speaking for many other African Americans - and Americans, in general - when I say that I want to believe that the allegations are false, as Cosby's attorney has repeatedly asserted. But unfortunately, it seems like irreversible damage has been done to the beloved comedian's once shining reputation.

A new allegation of attempted rape as described by supermodel Beverly Johnson in a Dec. 11 column she penned for VanityFair.com is particularly unsettling. In the column, Johnson details an encounter with Cosby in the '80s when she auditioned for a role on The Cosby Show. Johnson, who became the first African-American woman to appear on the cover of Vogue in 1974, seems like a credible voice who has nothing to gain by accusing Cosby of trying to drug and take advantage of her. 

Due to the allegations by Johnson and the other women who have come forward, many of Cosby's fans feel a profound sense of loss. The loss is particularly painful for African Americans. For many of us, Bill Cosby was like our favorite uncle. He represented the ability to triumph over racism through sheer talent and hard work. Seeing the image of an intact, financially secure black family on TV every week made us believe that anything was possible. 

And it wasn't just that Bill Cosby entertained us, he was also known for his generosity, giving millions to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Undoubtedly, he also gave a major boost to HBCU enrollment with the hit Cosby spinoff A Different World. 

American culture tends to elevate celebrities to almost godlike status. This is especially true in the black community, where successful individuals have often overcome poverty and other obstacles and represent all of our hopes and dreams of  triumphing over racism. This is why many of Cosby's longtime fans, especially African Americans, want to give him the benefit of the doubt. 

But as more disturbing allegations surface, the benefit of the doubt is increasingly hard to muster. As Beverly Johnson wrote in her piece at VanityFair.com:

"What would people think when and if I did [come forward]? Would they dismiss me as an angry black woman intent on ruining the image of one of the most revered men in the African American community over the last 40 years? Or would they see my open and honest account of being betrayed by one of the country’s most powerful, influential, and beloved entertainers?

As I wrestled with the idea of telling my story of the day Bill Cosby drugged me with the intention of doing God knows what, the faces of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and countless other brown and black men took residence in my mind. ...

Finally, I reached the conclusion that the current attack on African American men has absolutely nothing to do at all with Bill Cosby. He brought this on himself when he decided he had the right to have his way with who knows how many women over the last four decades. If anything, Cosby is distinguished from the majority of black men in this country because he could depend on the powers that be for support and protection."