Bird of the Iron Feather

Bird of the Iron Feather
Genre
Created byRichard Durham
Story byRichard Durham
Directed by
  • Roy Inman
  • Harold C. Johnson
  • Peter Strand
  • Louis Abraham
Starring
    • Bernard Ward
    • Yolande Bryant
    • Ira William Rogers
    • Milton Lamb
    • Melva Williams
Theme music composerMuhal Richard Abrams
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes21
Production
Executive producerClarence McIntosh
Production locationsChicago, Illinois, United States
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companyWTTW
Budget$600,000
Original release
NetworkNational Educational Television
ReleaseJanuary 19 (1970-01-19) –
March 6, 1970 (1970-03-06)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Bird of the Iron Feather is an American television soap opera that aired on the National Educational Television network from January 19 to March 6, 1970. Created by script writer and radio producer Richard Durham, the series was notable as the first all-Black television soap opera. Bird of the Iron Feather starred African American actor Bernard Ward as fictional Chicago Police Detective Jonah Rhodes. The series addressed social issues like racism, school desegregation and the complicated relationship between Black people and the police. Produced in Chicago, Illinois, the series won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award, and was the highest-rated local show ever broadcast by WTTW-TV in Chicago.