"We’re not going to have aliens or anything.... It’s grounded in family," 'Beyond the Gates' creator and executive producer Michele Val Jean tells PEOPLE

In 1968, Ellen Holly became the first Black lead on a soap ("One Life to Live") while the true breakthrough roles had to wait until the '80s with Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan on "All My Children," then the '90s, with Kristoff St. John on "The Young and the Restless."

History will be made next week on CBS daytime with the premiere of “Beyond the Gates.” It’s the first soap opera to debut in over 25 years and the first hour-long soap to center around a Black family.

With a powerhouse cast and an all-star creative team, this is more than just another soap opera—it’s a long-overdue cultural moment.

Explore the historic 'firsts' in entertainment culture as the debut of the first predominantly Black daytime soap opera, 'Beyond the Gates,' is set to shine.

Beyond the Gates, the first new soap opera to be greenlit in over 25 years, will premiere on CBS on February 24. Set in an affluent Maryland suburb, the show, which features a predominately Black cast, focuses on the trials and tribulations of the Dupree family and everyone in their orbit.

The Bold and the Beautiful alum is not here for the naysayers who criticize her for joining the new soap, Beyond The Gates.