IN MUCH THE SAME WAY moviegoers are praising and discussing “12 Years a Slave” today, more than 36 years ago, American television audiences were engaged with the ABC miniseries “Roots.” It was appointment television for eight consecutive evenings beginning Sunday, Feb. 23, 1977. Granted, Steve McQueen’s new film has been lauded for its Oscar-worthy performances,...
TIME WAS, TV GUIDE WAS A FIXTURE in American family rooms across the country. Known for engaging artists to illustrate its covers, in anticipation of the 1977 NFL football season, the weekly guide of television listings turned to Romare Bearden (1911-1988) to render its cover. As a result, the work of one of America’s...