"Theresa Harris in 'Baby Face (1933) – The First "Best Black Friend" (BBF)?"

"the 1933 drama "Baby Face" (it started about an hour before I started typing this) - a film that may have been the first to introduce the BBF stock character (BBF of course means Best Black Friend – a usually black actress cast as the leading white actress’ best friend; and even though they’re supposed to be “equals,” the BBF is often 2 dimensional, there strictly to support her white friend, aiding her in eventually overcoming some personal obstacle)."

http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/theresa-harris-in-baby-face-1933-the-first-best-black-friend-bbf-20150715

Mostly how I saw myself represented in media growing up. From an early age, though, I understood that I was supposed to be grateful to have been included - but to actually be identifying with and caring about the main white character.