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Top African-American Television Characters - From Being Mary Jane to Scandal to How to Get Away With Murder, African-Americans are rocking the small screen. In honor of Black History Month, check out our picks for the top African-American television characters from today and in the past.

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Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson) in Empire  - This ex-convict, mother-of-three and ex-wife of Terrence Howard is hands-down the show stealer of Empire. Cookie is as terrifying as she is empathetic and brilliant as she is flawed. Plus, she has one of the best wardrobes on network television. The role won Taraji her first Golden Globe in 2016!(Photo: Michael Lavine/Fox)

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Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) in How to Get Away With Murder  - Law never looked so sexy. Annalise brings an entirely new complexity to primetime TV with her complicated and scandalous life. Law professor and attorney by day and unfaithful wife by night, Professor Keating's life is anything but a walk in the park. Viola Davis's portrayal of Keating has been so impressive that she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and Emmy for her performance in the series.(Photo: Mitchell Haaseth/ABC)

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Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) in Scandal - The phrase "perfectly imperfect" probably best fits the character that is Olivia Pope on the highly popular TV drama Scandal. For being someone whose duty is to fix the lives of others, Ms. Pope never seems to be able to catch a break, not to mention her love life is equally as complicated. With Kerry Washington flawlessly playing this role since its 2012 series premiere, it's hard to see anyone else delivering that flawless lip quiver better than she.(Photo: ABC/Richard Cartwright)

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Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union) in Being Mary Jane - Proving that you can have it all — on paper — but still be unfulfilled inside, Being Mary Jane shows the journey of a successful TV anchor with the world on her shoulders. From family drama to relationship woes, Mary Jane Paul is just trying to achieve what everyone wants: happiness. Played by the beautiful Gabrielle Union, the role has resonated deeply with viewers from all walks of life.(Photo: Quantrell D. Colbert/BET Networks)

Photo By Photo: Quantrell D. Colbert/BET Networks

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Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) in Empire - Tackling the complexities and hardships of homosexuality in the music business, Jussie Smollett plays Jamal Lyon in the new FOX series Empire. Jamal is an incredibly talented singer and musician signed to his unsupportive father's label. Due to his disapproving dad and boss, Jamal isn't given the fair chance to shine, but keep watching, as Jamal looks like he's about to take matters into his own hands with the help of his mom, Cookie.(Photo: Michael Lavine/FOX)

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Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) in Grey's Anatomy - Seattle Grace's chief resident delivers tough love through a syringe. Wilson was nominated for four Emmys and won a SAG award for her portrayal of the brilliant surgeon with the bedside manner of Kevorkian and the heart of Patch Adams.(Photo: Courtesy ABC)

Photo By Photo: Courtesy ABC

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The Cast of In Living Color - Fox's groundbreaking sketch comedy series started off as a family affair. The show was created, produced and starred most members of the Wayans family, who proved that great comedy wasn't limited to Saturday nights and introduced the world to new faces Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Foxx and Jim Carrey.(Photo: Courtesy Fox)

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Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison) in A Different World - It took six years for the Southern belle and the math whiz to get to the altar — and for viewers to get that "Baby, Please! Please!" moment — but it was worth the wait. Whitley and Dwayne showed us that you can get more from college than just a degree. Now, who's ready for an A Different World: 10 Years Later? We know we are!(Photo: Courtesy NBC)

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Omar Little (Michael K. Williams) in The Wire - Far from your average stick-up man, Omar blasted every stereotype of inner-city criminals out of the water — from his strict moral code to his sexual preference — and was one of the most memorable characters in arguably the most groundbreaking show in cable history.(Photo: Courtesy HBO)

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Khadijah James (Queen Latifah) in Living Single - Manhattan has Sex and the City and Friends, but magazine editor Khadijah and her eccentric neighbors showed us how Brooklyn does single. Even though 'Dijah got her fairytale ending — a relationship — she managed to keep the single life far more real than Carrie or Rachel. After all, the theme song said it best, "In a '90s kinda world, I'm glad I've got my girls!"(Photo: Courtesy Fox)

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Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry) in 227 - Before becoming everybody's favorite adoptive sassy mom on Sister, Sister, Jackée Harry was the uber popular and high-maintence lady in 227. Though the show was created as a vehicle for Marla Gibbs, even she would have to admit that Jackee Harry stole the show as vampy, gossipy neighbor Sandra. In fact, Harry was meant only to be a guest star on the series, but strong audience response prompted NBC to give her a permanent spot on the stoop.(Photo: Courtesy NBC)

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Steven Q. Urkel (Jaleel White) in Family Matters - To create perhaps one of the most memorable characters in TV history, Jaleel White had to defy both nature — he managed to maintain the voice and appearance of a pre-teen well into his twenties — and expectation. Originally conceived to be a fringe character on the series, Urkel became the reason viewers tuned in for nearly a decade. Plus, fans of the show still remember the now-inonic slogan, "Did I do that?"(Photo: Courtesy ABC)

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George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise "Weezy" Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) in The Jeffersons - Despite "movin' on up" to the East Side, high school sweethearts George and Weezy maintained the strong relationship they forged before they had any money. Louise's ability to keep George grounded, and his soft spot for his beloved Weezy, made them one of the most wacky romantic couples in TV history.(Photo: Courtesy CBS)

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The Cast of Good Times - While it's widely recognized for making history for being the first series to show a Black family from the projects, Good Times will always be remembered for being one of the funniest shows on television — period. The Evanses became role models for Black families rich and poor for years to come. As JJ would say, "Dynomite!"(Photo: Courtesy CBS)

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Martin Payne (Martin Lawrence) in Martin - When he made his prime-time debut in 1992, Martin Lawrence stole the thunder right out of Must See TV. Viewers hooked on Seinfeld and Friends flocked to his self-titled sitcom and it remained Fox's highest-rated show during its run. Martin's brash attitude may have annoyed his girl and her friends, but it turned him into a household name practically overnight.(Photo: Courtesy Fox)

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The Cast of The Game - With more options to entertain ourselves than any other time in history, it's hard to get audiences to even tune in to a show, let alone rally to keep it on the air. Credit goes to the splendid cast, original lead by Tia Mowry-Hardrict, who earned audience loyalty that gave The Game the biggest comeback story in recent memory. Though the popular series was canceled by the CW after theree seasons, it was soon revived and brought to BET where it lasted six more seasons. The ninth season, unfortunately, was its last.(Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Will Smith playing "Will Smith" in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - This is a story all about how…Will Smith went from obscurity to becoming the biggest star in the world. It all started when producers at NBC plucked the rapper out of a recording studio and, recognizing his off-the-charts charisma, built a show around him. The rest is pop-culture history.(Photo: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

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Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Aaron (Richard T. Jones) in Girlfriends - Just as Mara Brock Akil's hit show accurately portrayed the complexities of female friendships, it didn't hold back when it came to Joan's long-awaited relationship. From Joan's awkward proposal to Aaron's deployment to Iraq, this couple managed to keep it real even on a sitcom.(Photo: Lisa Rose/THE CW)

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Julia Baker (Diahann Carroll) in Julia - While some say the single mother made famous by Diahann Carroll in this late '60s sitcom didn't realistically portray the struggles of Black America, Julia undoubtedly made history. It became the first network show that featured an African-American lead in a non-stereotypical role. That's a pretty amazing feat. Not to mention Carroll doesn't seem to have aged a day since then.(Photo: Courtesy NBC)

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Dr. Clifford Huxtable (Bill Cosby) in The Cosby Show - The cardigans! The goofy smiles! The life lessons! Is there a person in America who didn't secretly wish Cliff Huxtable was their dad? Over eight seasons Bill Cosby became as much of a father figure to children of the '80s and '90s as Mr. Rogers was to their parents. To this day, the sitcom is considered one of the most iconic in history.(Photo: dpa /Landov)

Photo By dpa /Landov

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Dee Thomas (Danielle Spencer) in What's Happening! - Proving that hustlers can come in small, cute packages, Dee's street smarts and know-it-all attitude seemed to foreshadow a bright future in taking other people's money, one quarter at a time. Paving the way for young hustlers everywhere, Dee's the original OG.(Photo: Courtesy ABC)

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Dominique Devereaux (Diahann Carroll) in Dynasty - This gorgeous chanteuse with the skyscraper shoulder pads kicked up a storm when she moved onto the Colby's turf in Denver. The three seasons she spent on the long-running soap were the most watched in its history, proving that Diahann Carroll is the ultimate TV queen.(Photo: Courtesy ABC)

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Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) in Sanford and Son - He was the most lovable, unlovable character on television for half a decade. Fred Sanford's sarcasm, cantankerousness and — let's face it — indiscriminate prejudice somehow managed to endear him to viewers across all races. You hate to love it and you love to hate him.(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Simon Adebisi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) in Oz - Don't let the jaunty little hat fool you. Prisoner #93A234 means business. Adebisi became one of the most recognizable characters on the HBO prison drama Oz, both for his strong accent and his ruthless ways.  (Photo: Courtesy HBO)

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The Cast of Soul Food - Picking up where the hit movie of the same name left off, the series focused on how the Joseph family coped after the death of matriarch Mother Joe. Set in the Midwest, the lives of this tight-knit family showed the world a side of African-American culture rarely seen on TV. With the likes of Nicole Ari Parker, Malinda Williams and Vanessa Williams starring, the show had a lot of eye candy that is yet to be beat.(Photo: Courtesy SHOWTIME)