Over the years there have been more than a few black presidents portrayed on screen, and not just on the small screen. Sometimes they’ve appeared in comedic films like Chris Rock’s Head of State (2003) and the 1933 musical comedy short Rufus Jones for President, in which Sammy Davis, Jr., then a child performer, is elected president. The 1972 film The Man starring James Earl Jones as President Douglas Dilman explored race in a serious manner, a rarity at the time. Dennis Haysbert’s portrayal of President David Palmer on 24 was so iconic that many viewers believed that it helped make the nation comfortable with the concept of a black president. For the most part, Palmer was universally accepted as president with no real regard to race.
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