One of the show’s central characters, Carl Winslow, was a police sergeant, but he also owned and operated his own successful security business
This dual role allowed the series to showcase Carl as a hardworking, ambitious individual who had achieved a level of professional and financial stability often lacking in depictions of Black characters on television at the time. The show’s writers took great care to highlight Carl’s entrepreneurial spirit and savvy business acumen, presenting him as a competent, driven professional who was able to provide a comfortable, middle-class lifestyle for his family. This nuanced portrayal helped to challenge the pervasive stereotypes of Black men being limited to low-income, underemployed, or criminal archetypes that were all too common in mainstream media.
Furthermore, the show’s depiction of Carl’s security business demonstrated the viability and value of Black-owned enterprises, offering viewers a positive representation of Black entrepreneurship that was often lacking on television. By showcasing Carl’s success in running his own company, “Family Matters” provided an inspirational example of the possibilities available to African-American individuals who pursued their dreams of business ownership and financial independence.
The show’s impact extended beyond just Carl’s character, as it also featured other Winslow family members, such as Harriette, who held steady, respectable jobs, further reinforcing the notion of African-Americans as hardworking, upwardly mobile professionals. This multifaceted approach to portraying Black success and achievement helped to expand the narrow, often limiting representations that had previously dominated the television landscape. In the decades since its conclusion, “Family Matters” remains celebrated for its groundbreaking contributions to the portrayal of Black entrepreneurship, prosperity, and the overall positive depiction of African-American characters on television.
