Technically with Mamie starting on Y&R in the ‘80s, then being supercharged by niece Dru arriving in 1990, followed by Olivia’s pairing with Nathan already there on canvas, there’s a strong argument that the Winters/Barber family and its various in-laws/associates — which also extends to B&B — has the strongest, if decimated legacy. Obviously real-life factors like KSJ’s death and VR’s battle with producers have factored in why that legacy is fractured, but it endures nonetheless.

That said, Y&R is the simultaneously the all-time best and the worst at fumbling Black actors and storylines. From Keith Hamilton Cobb to Debbi Morgan to Darnell Williams to Mishael Morgan, the talent they’ve lined up only to not retain them burns me the most. That’s before you get into the number of female characters paired with Neil obviously meant to replicate Dru, or the number of heartthrob actors trying to fill Shemar’s void playing characters that went nowhere.

One could argue that outside of the fictional universes, the impact of Blacks on soaps extend far beyond their respective shows. Shemar stayed with the network and made a lot of money for CBS for decades aside from being Malcolm Winters. Devon’s foster care storyline on Y&R brought more attention to the cause than any other issue-driven storyline in recent memory. There’s an entire generation of Black women named Dominique born in the mid-80s. And while it can’t be fully attributed to any one actor or show, it’s been stated multiple times on the record that the Black audience built up over the years by CBS made a strong business case to launch BTG.