1 / 14

Sasheer Zamata - SNL made its cast and writer's room more diverse this week by hiring three women of color to join their ranks. We celebrate newcomers Sasheer Zamata, LaKendra Tookes and Leslie Jones by looking back at all the Black talent on the late night sketch show. After a national controversy of no black women on the show, Zamata, a New York-based comedienne and member of the Upright Citizen's Brigade, joins SNL on January 18.  She is the first Black woman in the cast since Maya Rudolph.  We're rooting for her!(Photo: Sasheer Zamata via Instagram)

2 / 14

Garrett Morris - The legendary comedian has appeared in everything from Saturday Night Live to The Jamie Foxx Show. He was the first Black cast member on SNL in 1975.(Photo by Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic)

Photo By Photo by Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic

3 / 14

Eddie Murphy - One of the biggest stars to come from the world of SNL, Eddie came to fame in the early '80s as a Saturday Night regular and, by the early 90s, was one of the hottest actors in Hollywood. A decade later, he landed an Oscar nomination. (Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

4 / 14

Yvonne Hudson  - Hudson was the first Black female cast member in the history of Saturday Night Live. She joined the cast as a featured player in the 1980, just one week after Eddie Murphy joined. The New York native retired from show business after she left the series in 1984.(Photo: Alan Singer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)

5 / 14

Damon Wayans - Damon Wayans appeared on SNL from 1985 to 1986. His run was short-lived, but he would later become a household name on In Living Color.(Photo: Johnny Louis/wenn)

Photo By Photo: Johnny Louis/Wenn

6 / 14

Danitra Vance - Vance brought a lot of firsts to SNL: first Black female repertory player, first lesbian castmember and first castmember with a learning disability. The comedienne, who was on the show in the 1980s, often complained about the stereotypical characters she was asked to play. Vance passed away from breast cancer in 1994. (Photo: Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank)

7 / 14

Chris Rock - The comedian, Emmy winner and social critic got his start onSNL. He became one of the biggest comedians in the country and a big screen star with film projects like Grown Ups andMadagascar. (Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for LAByrinth Theater Company)

Photo By Photo: Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for LAByrinth Theater Company

8 / 14

Ellen Cleghorne  - The Red Hook native was an SNL regular from 1991 to 1995, during which time she played over two dozen characters. Her post-SNL career includes a WB sitcom called Cleghorne! and roles in films Armageddon and Coyote Ugly.(Photo: NBC)

9 / 14

Tim Meadows - Meadows was on Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 2000. His most popular character, Leon Phelps, a.k.a. the Ladies Man, was later made into a film.(Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Kris Connor/Getty Images

10 / 14

Tracy Morgan - Morgan was on SNL from 1999 to 2003 before he joined the self-referential ensemble comedy 30 Rock. He was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2009 Emmy Awards for his role on the sitcom.(Photo: NBC)

11 / 14

Finesse Mitchell - Finesse Mitchell's time on SNL lasted from 2003 to 2006. His success only continued post-SNL. He's written books, appeared in films and ran the talk show circuit from Tyra to the Today Show.(Photo: NBC) 

12 / 14

Maya Rudolph - Maya Rudolph (daughter of the late, great Minnie Ripperton) was a cast member on SNL from 1999 to 2007, during which time she memorably portrayed Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey. She has since taken her talents to the big screen, on films likeBridesmaids.(Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

13 / 14

Kenan Thompson - Kenan was a popular teen actor and became one of the fewSaturday Night Live cast members younger than the show itself. His comments added fuel to the fire that pushed the show's producers to diversify the cast.(Photo: NBC)  

Photo By Photo: NBC

14 / 14

Jay Pharoah - Credited with starting the tidal wave of public criticism that lead to the hire of three Black female comedians on Saturday Night Live, Pharoah told reporters that producers "needed to live up to their promise" to add diversity to the cast. The comedian, who has portrayed everyone from Barack Obama to Katt Williams on the show, will soon star opposite Kevin Hart inRide Along.(Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images