From dramatic fare to modern day horrors, Black History Month provides a good occasion to either reacquaint yourself with some of these treasures of Black cinema or discover them for the first time. And most you'll be able to find on Netflix, Amazon Prime or some other streaming video service.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
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Starring Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" made major waves upon release as it was one of the first major motion pictures to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light. It came out the same year that the Supreme Court ruled on Loving v. Virginia, which struck down all state laws banning interracial marriage.
The Wiz (1978)
It's the all-Black "Wizard of Oz." Starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Lena Horne, and Richard Pryor, the film follows the adventures ofDorothy, a shy, 24-year-oldHarlemschoolteacher who finds herself magically transported to the urban fantasyLand of Oz.
The Color Purple (1985)
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Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, the film tells the story of a youngBlack girl named Celie Harris and details the multitude of problems Black women faced during the early20th century, includingdomestic violence,incest,pedophilia,poverty,racism, andsexism.
Glory (1989)
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Starring Denzel Washington, "Glory" is an Americanhistoricalwardrama directed byEdward Zwickabout the54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, theUnion Army's firstBlackregiment in theAmerican Civil War.
Do The Right Thing (1989)
An Americancomedy-dramafilm produced, written, and directed bySpike Lee, the film stars Lee,Danny Aiello,Ossie Davis,Ruby Dee,Giancarlo Esposito,Bill Nunn,John Turturro andSamuel L. Jackson, and is the feature film debut ofMartin LawrenceandRosie Perez. The story explores a Brooklyn neighborhood's simmering racial tension, which culminates in tragedy and violence on a hot summer day.
Malcolm X (1992)
Spike Lee would partner with Denzel Washington on multiple projects, but it was their pairing bringing the life of Malcolm X to the screen that would net Washington an Oscar nomination. Washington charts the life of Malcolm X as he journeys from a street hustler to religious leader, political seer and American martyr.
Remember the Titans (2000)
Thebiographicalsportsfilm stars Denzel Washington and is based on the true story of Black coachHerman Boone and his attempt to integrate theT. C. Williams High Schoolfootball team inAlexandria,Virginia, in 1971.
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Set in 1920sNew Orleans, the animated Disney film tells the story of a waitress namedTianawho dreams of opening her own restaurant. After kissing a prince who has been turned into a frog by an evil witch doctor, Tiana becomes a frog herself and must find a way to turn back into a human before it is too late. More significantly, the film debuted Tiana as the first BlackDisney Princess.
Fruitvale Station (2013)
Starring Michael B. Jordan, the biographicaldramawas written and directed byRyan Coogler. It's based on the events leading to thedeath of Oscar Grant, a young Black man who was killed in 2009 by police at theFruitvale district stationof theBay Area Rapid Transit(BART) system inOakland.
12 Years A Slave (2013)
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, filmmakerSteve McQueenadapts the memoir of Solomon Northup, a free Black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the American south in 1841.
42 (2013)
Before he donned the mantle of the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman played real life hero Jackie Robinson in the film "42." The film depicts the two years in which Robinson broke the sport's color barrier in Major League Baseball and the abuse he suffered from both fans and teammates along the way.
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013)
Loosely based on the real life ofEugene Allen, who worked in the White House for decades, the film starsForest Whitakeras Cecil Gaines, a Black manwho is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34-year tenure serving as aWhite Housebutler.
Selma (2014)
"Selma" chronicles the Selma to Montgomery marches led by Civil Rights activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr. The marches, held over a period of 18 days, aimed to secure equal voting rights and were met with violent resistance from local law enforcement.Starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., the film was directed by Ava DuVernay.
Hidden Figures (2016)
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe, "Hidden Figures" tells the story of three Black women at NASA who serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit.
Loving (2016)
Starring Ruth NeggaandJoel Edgerton, the film tells the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving whose interracial marriage would end with an historic 1967 Supreme Court decision.
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
"I Am Not Your Negro"is a documentary filmdirected byRaoul Peck, based onJames Baldwin's unfinished manuscript"Remember This House." Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, the film explores the history ofracism in the United Statesthrough Baldwin's reminiscences of civil rights leadersMedgar Evers,Malcolm X, andMartin Luther King Jr., as well as his personal observations ofAmerican history.
Fences(2016)
Starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, "Fences" tells the story of Troy Maxson, who makes his living as a sanitation worker in 1950s Pittsburgh. Bitter over his missed opportunities, he creates further tensionin his family when he squashes his son's chance to meet a college football recruiter. The film was adapted fromAugust Wilson's play"Fences."
13th (2016)
"13th"is a documentary by Ava DuVernay that explores the intersection of race, justice, andmass incarcerationin the United States. It's titled after theThirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery throughout the United States and endedinvoluntary servitudeexcept as apunishment for conviction of a crime.
Moonlight(2016)
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, the film was written and directed byBarry Jenkins and is based onTarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play"In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue." It starsTrevante Rhodes,André Holland,Janelle Monáe,Ashton Sanders,Jharrel Jerome,Naomie Harris, andMahershala Ali. The film presents three stages in the life of the main character: his childhood, adolescence, and early adult life. It explores the difficulties he faces with hissexualityand identity, including the physical and emotional abuse he endures growing up.
Mudbound(2017)
Ahistorical dramadirected byDee Reesbased on the 2008 novelof the same namethe film stars Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Carey Mulligan,Garrett Hedlund,Jason Clarke and Jonathan Banks. It film depicts twoWorld War IIveterans – one white, one Black – who return to ruralMississippieach to address racism andPTSD.
Get Out (2017)
Written and directed byJordan Peelein hisdirectorial debut, the film starsDaniel Kaluuya,Allison Williams,Lil Rel Howery,Bradley Whitford andCatherine Keene.It tells the story of a young Black man who visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a horrific boiling point.
The Black Panther (2018)
As much a cultural touchstone as a film, Chadwick Boseman's portrayal as the now iconic superhero had much of the country talking upon its release. The film received numerousawards and nominations, with seven nominations at the91st Academy AwardsincludingBest Picture.
BlacKkKlansman (2018)
Directed by Spike Lee and starring John David Washington, the film is based on the 2014 memoir"Black Klansman"byRon Stallworth. Set in the 1970s inColorado Springs, the plot follows the first Black detective in thecity's police departmentas he sets out to infiltrate and expose the localKu Klux Klanchapter.
Just Mercy (2019)
The biographicallegal drama stars Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. It tells the true story ofWalter McMillian, who, with the help of young defense attorneyBryan Stevenson, appeals his murder conviction. The film is based on thememoir of the same name, written by Stevenson.
When They See Us (2019)
Across a four-episode limited series, director Ava DuVernay tells the story of the "Central Park Five" – a group of Black boys who were falsely accused of raping a white woman in New York’s Central Park in 1989. The film charts the court case and charges that followed, and details the institutional racism that led to their incarceration.
Harriet (2019)
Starring Cynthia Erivo, the film tells the tale ofHarriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes, who went on to free hundreds of slaves from captivity.
John Lewis: Good Trouble (2020)
Using interviews and rare archival footage, the documentary provides an intimate account of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis’ life, legacy and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism — from the bold teenager on the front lines of the Civil Rights movement to the legislative powerhouse.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
In what would be his final role, Chadwick Boseman stars opposite Viola Davis in a film that depicts the rising tensions and temperatures at a Chicago music studio in 1927 when blues singer Ma Rainey joins her band for a recording session.
Editor's Note: A version of this story originally appeared on NBCLX on Feb. 1, 2021.