TV milestones for artists of color

1949: "The Lone Ranger" co-stars Jay Silverheels as Tonto — one of the few authentic American Indians to break through on TV.

1951: Desi Arnaz becomes the first Latino to produce and star in a prime-time series, "I Love Lucy," at the insistence of his wife, Lucille Ball. Desilu Productions would go on to churn out "The Andy Griffith Show," "Star Trek" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

1956: Nat King Cole is the first African-American to host a musical variety show on TV. But touching white female guests was a no-no.

1965: Bill Cosby blazed a trail by winning three Emmys in a row for his role in "I Spy." He would continue to be a game-changer with "Fat Albert" and "The Cosby Show."

1966: "Star Trek" ran only three seasons, but it cast a long shadow, in part because of its interracial cast. Kirk and Uhura's kiss still has Sulu steaming with jealousy.

1966: Bruce Lee practically steals the show from "The Green Hornet" as his loyal, crime-fighting valet.

1975: Pat Morita makes his debut on "Happy Days" as diner owner Arnold Takahashi. He leaves the comedy after one season to be the first Asian-American actor to headline a series, "Mr. T and Tina." It lasts just five episodes.

1992: "The Arsenio Hall Show" makes history with a saxophone solo, and a future president: Bill Clinton.

1999: Dora the Explorer, a Latina girl, asks viewers to explore her animated world. The series has spawned more than 30 foreign adaptations, 40 books and a strange urge among children of all colors to ask for a pet monkey.

2007: America Ferrera becomes the first Latina to win an Emmy as best lead comedic actress for her work on "Ugly Betty."

Neal Justin