As the lanky, comically over-confident eldest son, J.J., on the popular sitcom “Good Times,” (CBS, 1973-79), Jimmie Walker was one of the first African-American comics to achieve mainstream success. His run on the popular 1970s sitcom went beyond mere celebrity and transformed the actor into a cultural icon, thanks in large part to his catchphrase “Dy-No-Mite!” which became permanently etched in the public’s consciousness, despite Walker’s initial reservations in using it. Though he was embraced by white audiences, Walker was the subject of strong criticism from the black community, many of
