Last Friday I was devastated by a headline on my social media timeline: “Diahann Carroll, Pioneering Actress on ‘Julia’ and ‘Dynasty,’ Dies at 84.” Born in the Bronx in 1935 and raised in Harlem, Ms. Carroll not only blazed a trail for black actresses, but also gave audiences of all races iconic characters with depth and poise. She was the first black woman to win a Tony Award for best actress, in 1962, for her role in the Broadway musical “No Strings,” and the first black woman to star in a nonstereotypical role in a television series in “Julia.”

She was also my aunt. No, we were not actually related. But from an early age I adored her as if she were one of my aunts.