Editing The Proud Family (section)

== Themes ==
Due to few pitches of all cartoons featuring [[African Americans|African-Americans]],<ref name=":6" /> ''The Proud Family'' is one of the few animated kids shows that featured an African-American protagonist<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Raiti |first=Gerald |date=January 2005 |title=Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? The absence of African-American heroes in animation - An opinion piece |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/225320755 |access-date=January 14, 2024 |work=KidScreen |pages=60 |issn=1205-7746 |id={{ProQuest|225320755}}}}</ref> and one of the few animated sitcoms to feature African-Americans as lead characters.<ref name=":10" /> Dealing with themes of [[bullying]], [[gossip]], [[Responsibilities of citizens|responsibility]], and others, ''The Proud Family'' highlighted the importance of [[discrimination]], [[stereotyping]], and [[Culture|culture differences]].<ref name=":26">{{cite news |last=Steele |first=Monique |date=October 25, 2015 |title=15 Disney Channel Series We Wish We Could Watch Again |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2359928/disney-shows-we-want-to-binge-watch/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011164742/http://www.mtv.com/news/2359928/disney-shows-we-want-to-binge-watch/ |archive-date=October 11, 2016 |access-date=January 11, 2024 |website=[[MTV]]}}</ref> With universal themes rooted in the [[African-American culture]], ''The Proud Family'' was considered "groundbreaking" for television due to its depiction on an African-American family in their day-to-day lives.<ref name="nytimes2022">{{cite web |last=Jackson |first=Leigh Ann |date=February 23, 2022 |title=A Groundbreaking Cartoon Family Returns, 'Louder and Prouder' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/arts/television/proud-family-returns.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310041130/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/arts/television/proud-family-returns.html |archive-date=March 10, 2022 |access-date=February 23, 2022 |website=[[New York Times]]}}</ref> According to Michael Mallory of ''[[The Los Angeles Times]]'', the series was also addressing the "[[Diversity, equity, and inclusion|diversity issue]]" more effectively than in [[primetime television]] at the time of publishing.<ref name=":3" /> Smith told Mike Duffy of ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' that the series is a "celebration [and inclusion] of all cultures."<ref name=":1" /> Ben Hooper of TVData Features Syndicate commented that while several animated shows deal with "multicultural issues", ''The Proud Family'' "keeps it real''–''er, skews closer to reality''–''by presenting a multiracial cast of characters with which [[Preteen|tweens]] in culturally diverse schools can identify."<ref name=":0" /> Gerald Raiti of ''[[Kidscreen]]'' recalled that although the series is a satire of family life, it was "[communicating] to children of all races."<ref name=":6" />

The series also had themes of [[African-American history]] and liberation.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> The first-season episode "I Had a Dream" experienced the importance of [[Black History Month]] and the life of a black person in the 1950s.<ref name=":3" /> In the episode, Penny encountered [[racism]] and [[Segregation academy|segregation]] after she time-traveled to the year 1955.<ref name=":11" /> According to Smith on the holiday-themed episode "Seven Days of Kwanzaa", he implied [[Kwanzaa]] as the "true meaning of [December]", and he stated that "Kwanzaa is about someone leading a purposeful life, [and] it ties in with what we feel the [[Christmas spirit]] is about: family, giving, unity, purpose."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Elber |first=Lynn |date=December 7, 2001 |title=Kids' shows take lighthearted, heartfelt look at Kwanzaa |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/95416897/?terms=the%20proud%20family&match=1 |access-date=January 11, 2024 |work=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]] |publisher= |pages=18}}</ref>