Molly Jackson: Looking Back At “The Kiss”
A few days ago we had the anniversary of the first interracial kiss on US network television. No, this post isn’t about Star Trek, even though that is where it took place. But it is nice to look back and forward to see the path we, as a people, are on.
Less than 50 years ago, we broke through what now seems like a stupid boundary. Still, at the time this was a very important step. Especially when you look at the response that the actors and studio got, which was a largely positive one. The public at large didn’t react negatively or angrily; they just wondered what it was like in letters to each of the actors.
This scene went on to be just one of Nichelle Nichols’ accomplishments; she was and still is a public face for NASA, which at the time was almost unbelievable for an African-American actress.
Now in current times, we are still fighting the battle of diversity and equality. If you turn on the news, it is more than evident. Comics has been continuing on this path as well. We have seen the comics news cycle focus on this issue time and again.
In the past year, we have seen growth as well as the troubling yet continuing trend of ignorance. As we look towards the future of comics, the past we have come from will impact how the industry moves forward.
We can look at the past, where a simple kiss is a groundbreaking moment, and see how crazy it seems to us now. Still, we can’t deny that it made a difference in our lives today. With the changes still happening, in the comics industry and in the wider world, perhaps we are ready for another “simple yet groundbreaking” moment.
