. . . . . . . . . . . "Valerie Grant"@en . . . . . . "Paul Grant"@en . . "Tina Andrews"@en . . . . . . . . . . "David Grant"@en . . "Helen Grant"@en . . "We talked about the character, what soap opera mean to our culture and my own personal life. My grandmother watched the CBS soaps, [such as] THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Of course, I knew about DAYS. It was fascinating to hear about Valerie's history and the reaction to her relationship with David Banning in the 1970s. At that time, people just were not ready to see a white man and a black woman together. A few days later, they called and said, 'C'mon down!'"@en . ""@en . . . . . "Williams on her interview"@en . "2016"^^ . "1975-10-27"^^ . "Vanessa A. Williams"@en . "28841"^^ . . . . "Valerie Grant"@en . . "Carver Grant"@en . ""@en . . . . . . . . . . "88.0"^^ . . . . "right"@en . . . . "Valerie Grant is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The character was created by Pat Falken Smith and introduced as the black love interest for white character David Banning. The role was originated by Tina Andrews on October 27, 1975. Andrews was replaced by Rose Fonseca in the summer of 1977. Valerie and her family take David in when he is injured in a car accident and they soon fall in love. David and Valerie become engaged in the summer of 1976 but the romance is plagued by his infidelity, his ex-girlfriend Brooke Hamilton and her mother Helen's unwillingness to accept the relationship. When David's affair with Trish Clayton results in pregnancy, Valerie ends the relationship and takes a scholarship to medical school at Howard Unive"@en . . "Ken Corday, Albert Alarr and Greg Meng"@en . . . . "2022-03-17"^^ . . . . "1117471261"^^ . . . . "25"^^ . . . . "Rose Fonseca"@en . "Valerie Grant"@en . . "left"@en . . "52587509"^^ . . ""@en . . "Vanessa Williams as Valerie Grant.png"@en . . . . . . . . . . . "Danny Grant"@en . . ""@en . . . . "1"^^ . . . . . . . . . . . "Former; guest" . "Yes"@en . "1981"^^ . . "Valerie Grant is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The character was created by Pat Falken Smith and introduced as the black love interest for white character David Banning. The role was originated by Tina Andrews on October 27, 1975. Andrews was replaced by Rose Fonseca in the summer of 1977. Valerie and her family take David in when he is injured in a car accident and they soon fall in love. David and Valerie become engaged in the summer of 1976 but the romance is plagued by his infidelity, his ex-girlfriend Brooke Hamilton and her mother Helen's unwillingness to accept the relationship. When David's affair with Trish Clayton results in pregnancy, Valerie ends the relationship and takes a scholarship to medical school at Howard University in 1978. Actress Diane Sommerfield took over the role in 1981 when Valerie returns as a medical intern at the hospital. She becomes involved with Abe Carver which is plagued by Val's residual feelings for David and Abe's unwillingness to get married one day. The character is written out in 1982. In 2016, after a nearly 35-year absence, the character was reintroduced with veteran actress Vanessa A. Williams in the role, when cardiologist Valerie is enlisted to help save Abe Carver. Valerie rekindles her romance with Abe despite disapproval from his teenage son Theo Carver. In 2017, after David's sudden death, it is revealed that Valerie had secretly given birth to his son \u2014 Eli Grant. Valerie's romance with David is recognized as the first interracial love story in daytime television history. The refusal of certain viewers to accept the relationship would make Valerie one of the most controversial characters in the history of Days of Our Lives."@en . . "Betty Corday and Al Rabin"@en . "1975"^^ . "Soap Opera Digest"@en . . "Vanessa Williams as Valerie Grant"@en . . . "Betty Corday"@en . . "Days of Our Lives"@en . "Vanessa A. Williams"@en . . . "Diane Sommerfield"@en . . . . . ""@en .