With the future looking so bright, we’d be remiss if we didn’t give a shoutout to the pioneering Black cartoons of the past — props to Static, Storm, Susie Carmichael, Huey and Riley just to name a few. If we’re being honest, you’ve even got a few of the ambiguous ones that can always come to the cookout as well. Think about it: we all have a favorite character that either comes from a race-free universe, is an anthropomorphic animal or was specifically written in a way that kept their racial identity elusive for the sake of universal marketing. At the same time though, you can’t help but notice the AAVE in their dialogue, a wardrobe design inspired by urban attire and in some cases a voice actor that pretty much seals the deal. Remember when Jaleel White (and Tahj Mowry as Young Sonic!) voiced the titular role in the classic 1990s cartoon series adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog?

We believe the term kids nowadays are calling it is “Black-coded.”