A Really Big Shew”: How Ed Sullivan Opened the Door for Black Excellence on TV

Back in the day, Sunday nights had a rhythm of their own.

The smell of pot roast still lingered in the kitchen. Somebody was scraping the last bit of cobbler from the pan. The grown folks were in the living room, the younger ones on the floor or peeking around the corner if they weren’t supposed to be up. There was no remote, so somebody—usually the youngest—had to go over to the TV and turn that big silver dial. And we all waited for that voice to come on.

“Tonight, we’ve got a reeeally big shew for you.”

That awkward but familiar line meant it was time for The Ed Sullivan Show—and for Black families across America, it meant something more than just entertainment. It was a moment. A ritual. A rare, shared experience when we saw people who looked like us on a national stage, not as sidekicks or stereotypes, but as stars.

He Wasn’t Like the Others

Ed Sullivan wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t smooth. He wasn’t a singer, a dancer, or even particularly funny. But somehow, he became one of the most important figures in entertainment history.

Starting in 1948, Ed Sullivan hosted a weekly variety show on CBS that ran for over two decades. Week after week, he invited the country into his living room—and more importantly, he invited us. Black artists. Black musicians. Black culture.

At a time when most shows wouldn’t touch Black talent, Ed Sullivan gave us center stage.

Breaking Barriers—Quietly, Boldly

It’s easy to forget how radical that was.

In the 1950s and ’60s, television executives were afraid to upset their Southern audiences. That meant Black artists were often cut, pushed to the end of the show, or told to “tone it down.” But Ed didn’t play by those rules.

He brought us Nat King Cole in a tuxedo and Lena Horne in full glamour. He gave The Supremes, The Temptations, and James Brown the same spot and spotlight as Frank Sinatra or The Beatles. When The Jackson 5 moonwalked into our lives, it was through Ed Sullivan’s stage.

And it wasn’t just about who he booked—it was how he treated them. With respect. With dignity. Like artists, not political statements.

Standing His Ground

When the network told him Bo Diddley needed to change his song to appeal to a white audience, Ed backed Bo. When folks complained about interracial performances or Black artists getting too much screen time, Ed didn’t flinch.

He wasn’t trying to be a civil rights hero. But he knew what was right, and he did it—week after week, under the bright lights, when it counted.

A Mirror for the Nation

Seeing our people perform on Ed Sullivan wasn’t just exciting. It was validating. For Black families, it meant we mattered. That our culture, our music, our brilliance wasn’t just for the backroom juke joint—it belonged in prime time, in the middle of America’s living room.

It’s hard to explain to younger folks what that meant. We didn’t have 500 channels, TikTok, or YouTube. If Ed Sullivan put you on TV, everybody saw it. And if you were a Black performer, that meant your talent couldn’t be denied anymore.

If You Know, You Know

If you were there, you remember.

You remember when Ray Charles played and the whole house went silent. You remember the look on your momma’s face when Sam Cooke sang “You Send Me.” You remember the way your daddy smiled—just a little—when Flip Wilson got a laugh from the whole country.

We didn’t know we were witnessing history. We just knew it felt good. It felt right. And it felt rare.

A Legacy Bigger Than Ratings

Ed Sullivan didn’t wave a protest sign. He didn’t give grand speeches. But he did something just as powerful—he normalized Black excellence at a time when the rest of the country still tried to ignore it.

In a world that’s now oversaturated with content, it’s easy to forget the power of a single show. But Ed Sullivan’s stage was sacred ground, and his choices changed lives. He helped America see us—and helped us see ourselves.

So the next time you hear someone say, “Really big shew,” smile. Because behind that funny little phrase is a legacy worth remembering.

And for that, Mr. Sullivan, we thank you.

🎥 Watch the trailer for the new Netflix documentary about The Ed Sullivan Show and how it shaped American culture. Click here.