Phylicia Rashād

Personal context

Summary

Phylicia Rashad is an actor and stage director known for The Cosby Show, A Raisin in the Sun, and For Colored Girls; she later served as dean of Howard University’s College of Fine Arts. She has said that much of her theater, film, and television work has centered on African American people, and she has expressed hope that black female characters in animation become a familiar part of storytelling. In 2015, Rashad called allegations against Bill Cosby an orchestrated attack on his legacy; in 2021, she celebrated his release after his conviction was overturned, then apologized and said she supported survivors of sexual assault. No public party campaigning or political affiliations are on record.