The Outcasts was a groundbreaking series in the history of Television.  A western about a pair of bounty hunters (one a former Confederate soldier, the other an ex-slave), it was the first regular series to depict African-American's in the Old West.  A critical success, it aired for only one season (1968-69) on ABC-TV and has not been seen in re-runs for over two decades. 

The series starred Oscar-nominated actor DON MURRAY (Earl Corey) and newcomer OTIS YOUNG (Jemal David).  Unlike its predecessor, I SPY,  Corey and Jemal were not friends.  There was always an undercurrent of racial tension as they were forced to fight for one another in the process of catchcing their bounty.  The series was ahead of its time.  Well written and well acted, it provided opportunities for Black actors like James Edwards, Gloria Foster and Jannee Michelle to play characters with depth.  The storylines did not shy away from racial tensions between Blacks, and provided dignity in its characterization of Native Americans.  However, there were attempts to stifle the show.  Much of the show's violence was tapered following the assasinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King.  Ultimately, The Outcasts might have been too powerful a program for American living rooms.  It lasted only 26 episodes.

To my knowledge, The Outcasts was never re-run in syndication.  It was rebroadcast in the 1990s, but has never been released on VHS or DVD and does not show on cable channels like Encore Westerns.  Those who have seen the show consider it one of the top Western series of all time (myself included). 

Let Sony Pictures know how much this classic show needs to be seen.  There needs to be a DVD collectors set. While OTIS YOUNG passed away in 2001, DON MURRAY is alive and well at 86 years old  to provide commentary for such an edition. Time is of the essence. Please sign and share this petition.