DAYS bringing back controversial former character Valerie Grant

Days of our Lives is bringing back the 70s with the return of Dr. Valerie Grant, famous for her role in the show's first interracial romance.

Time to break out your bell-bottoms, Days of our Lives fans, because the NBC soap is digging into its past and bringing back a much-talked-about character from the 1970s.

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According to Soap Opera Digest, the 50-year-old soap is on the hunt for an actress to play the part of Dr. Valerie Grant, described as a gorgeous African American in her mid-50s. "Courage and perseverance are two character traits that people admire her for the most," states the official casting call. "And while her experiences might have hardened other people and made them cynical, Valerie has grown into a wise and compassionate person -- who still occasionally gets tripped up by her own mistakes."

As longtime fans may recall, Valerie (who was previously played by Tina Andrews, Rose Fonseca, and Diana Sommerfield) had a romance with Julie's (Susan Seaforth Hayes) son, David Banning (Richard Guthrie). The pair became famous for being DAYS' very first interracial couple, but the two were forced to split up due to real-life racism, according to Guthrie.

"They're breaking us up because the story line is unpopular," the actor told The Washington Post back in 1977. "The studio has been getting a lot of hate mail from people a lot threatening to stop watching the show."

Tina Andrews, who was playing Valerie at the time, noted she also received letters laced with hateful and offensive remarks.

The soap is reportedly looking for experienced actors to play the role, which begins taping in mid-to-late May.

When asked by a fan about whether or not she has already been approached by DAYS to reprise the role, Andrews responded with the answer: "No, I have not been approached. I would not mind it though."

What do you think about DAYS bringing Valerie Grant back to the canvas? Who do you think would be the perfect fit for the role? What storyline do you think the shows' writers have in mind for Valerie? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.

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