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There are those of us who learn about Black history all year long, and those of us who strive to learn something new every year during Black History Month. There are those of us who learn best by reading books about our favorite people, and there are those of us – like moi – who learn best through movies and tv shows. (Because let’s face it, sometimes the movie is just more interesting than the book! Rarely, but sometimes.)
Neither way is the “right” way, because there is no right way, when it comes to learning about Black history and all of the amazing people that paved the way for us. Just as long as we’re always learning.
And as someone who hates history books, I learn best through movies and tv shows! Especially when presented with “boring” topics, like history. There was even a time in my life where I skipped all biopics and documentaries because they were “too historical” for me to “enjoy”.
Now don’t get me wrong, some documentaries are still too boring for me to endure. But these films below have slowly turned me into a documentary and biopic “believer”. Each film has taught me something new about someone I’ve since learned to admire, and in a way that excited me far more than any history book ever could. So if you too are hesitant to watch historical movies, start with one of these films below.
‘Little Richard: I Am Everything’
If you immediately started singing “Tutti Frutti” after reading this, this biopic is definitely for you! (And if you have no clue what song that is, then welp … you definitely need to watch this big time.)
Little Richard: I Am Everything, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, is an eye-opening documentary directed by Lisa Cortés which explores and “explodes the whitewashed canon of American pop music and shines a clarifying light on the Black, queer origins of rock ’n’ roll, and establishes the genre’s big bang: Richard Wayne Penniman”. And yes – it’s an absolute must see! It’s as joyous as it is heartbreaking to see a gay Black man doubt himself and his talent in this way, but it was definitely a delight to watch.
‘We Need To Talk About Cosby’
Not all biopics are fun to watch. We Need To Talk About Cosby may have been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to sit through, as someone who grew up watching and loving The Cosby Show. But learning about Bill Cosby’s life, and past, was a must, and is a must for everyone, especially if you once loved him.
In order to break the cycle of men taking advantage of others in any way, we must be able to listen to those who tell their story, and believe them. Or else the cycle will continue.
‘Ailey’
Ailey highlights the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey, who founded one of the most influential dance studios possibly in the world. Yet, it tells us not the story of the studio, but of his life, of the man he was, his struggles and his accomplishments.
It’s a beautiful ode to a man who deserved all the flowers he may or may not have received when he was alive. And it’s a must watch for those of us who enjoy watching dance performances.
‘Summer of Soul’
Now this is the documentary that “broke the camel’s back”, or should I say, finally got me to take documentaries seriously after hating them for most of my life. After Questlove’s Summer of Soul premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, I’ve been hooked on watching as many Black documentaries as I can.
Part concert, and part historical record, it was incredible watching a young Stevie Wonder perform on stage. (Did you know he played the drums?? I sure didn’t!) If you love music as much as I do, then this is the documentary for you! It’s incredibly sad that it took so long for this footage to find its way to the public, but I’m so happy it did.
‘Jeen-Yuhs’
Kanye has been the controversial topic of the town for the last few years, and while he’s still quite frankly a mess, it’s the young, creative Kanye we all truly love. Think Kanye, before his mom died, and before the Kardashians Kanye – not the Yeezys and torn up clothes for sale Kanye. So when I recommend the Kanye documentary Jeen-Yuhs keep in mind that it’s his genius from the golden days we’d like to remember. Not his crazy outbursts from today. This documentary reminded me that some people were just born with an amazing talent, and drive to succeed. It’s as inspiring as Kanye can get.
‘Till’
Maybe I should have grouped all the “hard to watch” documentaries and biopics together, because Till is another hard pill to swallow. It took everything in me, and then some, to watch this movie about the little Black boy who was brutally murdered for whistling at a white woman. A woman who lied to the world, and let her friends hang someone’s innocent child! But as I mentioned before, sometimes we have to watch hard things to learn a lesson, and so that history never has to repeat itself ever again.
And if there was one thing we don’t need history to repeat, it would be the killing of Emmett Till. Director Chinonye Chukwu handles this traumatic, heartbreaking story with care. And with a stunning, some might even say award worthy, performance by Danielle Deadwyler, Till is an absolute must watch!
‘King Richard’
We all know and love the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus. Yet for years we knew the girls, without knowing the man who inspired and helped them achieve their greatness – their dad, Richard Williams. Starring Will Smith, the sports biopic King Richard dives head first into the man who helped his daughters become stars.
Not only did he help train them, he created the blueprint, a 78-page plan that mapped out how his daughters would become some of the best tennis players in the world, and then he succeeded at doing just that. If sports dramas are your thing, like they are mine, and you haven’t already seen King Richard, you’re missing out on one of today’s most inspirational stories filled with heart, that highlights what any great father would have done for his children if given the chance.
‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
About the betrayal of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, by William O’Neal, who becomes an FBI informant to save his skin — Judas and the Black Messiahtakes us down a revolutionary roller coaster ride of emotions. Yet, it may have been the only way I would have stomached learning about Fred Hampton.
And although the ending alone is as traumatic as they come — yup add this one to the list of “hard to watch” documentaries that you’ll have to stomach through anyway — it’s a powerful tale of two young adults doing what they think is right, to survive the hopeless cards they’ve been dealt.
‘Hidden Figures’
Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe took the world by storm when they portrayed the three mathematically brilliant and all around amazing African-American women – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – who worked at NASA during the Space Race in Hidden Figures which premiered in theaters in 2016.
The story tells the struggles of three Black women who faced racism and sexism head on, during a time where segregation still existed, when all they ever really wanted was just do a damn good job at work and then go home to their loved ones! It also highlights their white coworkers who became their allies helping them along the way.
‘Cool Runnings’
Cool Runnings tells us the story of the first Jamaican bobsled olympic team that ever did live. It’s an overly dramatic tale of a dream gone wrong, that makes for one hell of an inspirational sports film. And while most of the story is fictional, the crash that changed their lives was very real.
I also had no idea Jamaica even entered the Olympic Winter sports competitions, considering they’re very much a Summer country almost all year round, before watching this as a kid. So I definitely learned something from this tall tale (a film I’ve watched countless of times because it’s just so darn hilarious and relatable.)
‘Ruby Bridges’
Ruby Bridges tells the real-life tale of one of the first Black kids to attend an integrated school in the south. At the young age of 6, Ruby is to attend an all-white school in New Orleans, which of course causes an uproar in this racially divided city.
Yet despite the odds stacked against her, and a whole world full of people who hate her just for going to school, Ruby toughs it out and becomes an inspiration for all those like her, who just want a good education, no matter the costs.
‘Coach Carter’
Coach Carter may still very well be my favorite sports drama of all time, and it just happens to also be a biopic film about the very real Coach Ken Carter (played by Samuel L. Jackson), who made headlines in 1999 for suspending his undefeated Richmond High School basketball team due to their bad grades in school.
A story that still motivates me to this very day, Coach Carter is one you’ll want your athletic (and even creative) children to soak in so that they understand that education is just as important as their talent.
Bonus: ‘Elvis’
While it’s not a “Black” biopic, per say, although the music supervisor for this one might beg to differ, Elvis tells us the story of a white musician who we all once loved, who stole all his hit songs from Black musicians just because he knew he could.
In this day and age where Black creators are still having their ideas stolen without a lick of credit or compensation given, I think it’s worth a watch. I mean, the film itself is incredibly well-done. It’s exciting, and Austin Butler does a great job portraying the rock and roll star I grew up loving. It’s just unfortunate that Elvis’ backstory is such a bleak history lesson for us all.
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