Black History Month remains one of the most important commemorations on the calendar. February is a great time to appreciate the efforts of Black leaders in America. This leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether it’s famous figures like Martin Luther King Jr. or someone’s grandparent who fought for what they believed in, Black History Month encompasses all of these equally important people and their accomplishments.
The movie industry has been a great place for artists, writers, and filmmakers to convey their opinions on how to overcome injustices in the Black community. To celebrate Black History Month, we’ve collected a fantastic bunch of movies that recognize the fighters and leaders who have progressed the world into a better place than it was before. From Denzel Washington films to iconic Marvel movies, these are the best Black history movies to watch in February and beyond.
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Black Panther (2018)
135m
Genre
Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars
Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Directed by
Ryan Coogler
Watch on Disney+
Black Panther had the weight of the world on its shoulders when it was announced as part of Marvel’s Phase 3. Fans of the comic book and those who wanted to see Black superheroes represented with dignity and power on the big screen were treated to one of the best movies of 2018. Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan are excellent as two polar opposites fighting for the right to rule the African nation of Wakanda. The movie has phenomenal commentary on racism, leadership in the Black community, how trauma affects those who are minimized by society, and so much more. Kids all over the world were inspired by a superhero that finally looked like them. Boseman’s unfortunate death just a couple years later left a massive void in this franchise. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came out in 2022, and rumors suggest that the third movie in the franchise could come out sometime in 2028.
The Color Purple (1985)
154m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Avery
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Watch on Amazon
The Color Purple is the kind of timeless story that gets retold over and over again because it always has something new to say depending on who is watching. I decided to go with the 1985 Steven Spielberg version of The Color Purple because it has iconic actors such as Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Danny Glover, along with a tight, thoughtful screenplay by Spielberg and his team. The plot follows the life of a girl from her abusive upbringing into her traumatic adulthood as she successfully overcomes racism and other atrocities caused by living in the American South. This film isn’t for those who can’t handle tough themes and domestic violence, so let this serve as a trigger warning. The Color Purple was nominated for 11 Oscars and four Golden Globes.
42 (2013)
128m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie
Directed by
Brian Helgeland
Watch on Amazon
Baseball fans and those who aren’t even mildly interested in the sport know who Jackie Robinson is and what he stood for. The first Black player to debut in Major League Baseball, no athlete had to endure more racism just for playing a game than Robinson. In his second appearance on this list, Chadwick Boseman is a perfect fit for Robinson’s journey. Harrison Ford plays Branch Rickey, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers who approved of Robinson’s signing back in the 1940s. 42 is one of the best sports biopics of the 2010s and a perfect addition to your Black History Month viewing.
A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
87%
8/10
128m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee
Directed by
Daniel Petrie
Watch on Amazon
A foundational text on the Black experience in America, Lorraine Hansbury’s widely acclaimed play was adapted into a movie of the same name starring Sidney Poitier. The story follows a Black family in the 1950s as they deal with the fallout of a large insurance payment, and must decide whether to leave their rundown apartment on Chicago’s Southside for a primarily white neighborhood, or remain where they are. Poitier gives an urgent, lived-in performance as the film tackles the issues of racism and assimilation through the prism of a single family.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
93%
7.9/10
120m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee
Directed by
Spike Lee
Watch on Amazon
Spike Lee’s magnum opus, Do the Right Thing is not strictly historical, but its sad, unmistakable relevance has endured for more than 30 years. The movie tells the story of one hot day in Brooklyn as tensions rise between the primarily Black residents of a single block and the white owners of a pizza parlor that exists primarily to serve them. It’s a movie about anger and hurt, and it’s one that still feels like a primal scream today. The movie earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and features great performances from famous actors like Samuel L. Jackson.
Malcolm X (1992)
73%
7.7/10
202m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall
Directed by
Spike Lee
Watch on Amazon
As one of the great filmmakers of all-time, it feels only fitting that Spike Lee should have two spots on this list. The second goes to Malcolm X, a sprawling epic that chronicles the life and ultimate death of its titular figure. Denzel Washington delivers what is almost undoubtedly a career-best performance, and he anchors a film that feels much more expansive than much of Lee’s work, but no less precise or urgent in spite of its extended runtime.
Selma (2014)
127m
Genre
History, Drama
Stars
David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Wilkinson
Directed by
Ava DuVernay
Watch on Paramount+
The story of Martin Luther King Jr. is one that many people think they know, but Selma challenges the assumptions that most people have about who he was. The film tells the story of the march from Selma to Montgomery, and isn’t afraid to get into the weeds to explain exactly why the march was necessary, and how controversial it was at the time. The civil rights movement had already achieved the passage of the Civil Rights Act, but King kept pushing for the rights Black people had been deprived of since they arrived in America.
One Night in Miami... (2020)
83%
7.1/10
114m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge
Directed by
Regina King
Watch on Amazon
A movie this discursive and talky should not be as great as it is, but part of One Night in Miami‘s effortless charm is the way it imagines a conversation beween four Black icons at a time when they were each being pulled in different directions. Bringing together Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) and Jim Brown, the movie takes place on a single night and is largely an argument about how famous Black men such as themselves should be pursuing civil rights. It’s a beautifully acted and directed movie, and one that is alive with the ideas each of these men are fighting for.
I Am Not Your Negro (2017)
95%
7.9/10
93m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr.
Directed by
Raoul Peck
Watch on Hulu
Decades after his death, James Baldwin remains one of the pre-eminent voices on the issue of race in America. In I Am Not Your Negro, documentarian Raoul Peck pieces together one of Baldwin’s unfinished works — a book that was meant to chronicle the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers. In reviving the book, Peck tells the story of the civil rights movement through Baldwin’s eyes, and shines an urgent light on the ongoing struggle for equality in America.
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)
96%
8/10
117m
Genre
Documentary, Music
Stars
Stevie Wonder, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jesse Jackson
Directed by
Questlove
Watch on Disney+
Telling the story of a series of concerts that were held in Harlem over the summer of 1969, Summer of Soul is about how many aspects of Black history are suppressed, even if they don’t necessarily condemn America. Summer of Soul is a joyful, moving ride through highlights of footage from the concerts, which featured legendary talents like Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone. There are too many great moments to choose from, but on the whole, Summer of Soul is a reminder of the fullness of the Black experience that is so often ignored by Hollywood.
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
85%
7.4/10
126m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Directed by
Shaka King
Watch on Amazon
Telling the remarkable true story of an FBI informant who gets close to Fred Hampton, a prominent member of the Black Panthers, and ultimately aids in his killing by the police, Judas and the Black Messiah is equal parts Spike Lee and Steve McQueen. It’s a viscerally entertaining movie, even as it focuses on an informant who becomes increasingly conflicted about his allegiances. Daniel Kaluuya delivers one of the finest performances of his already legendary career as Hampton, and Lakeith Stanfield is just as good in the lead role.
13th (2016)
83%
8.2/10
100m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Jelani Cobb, Angela Davis, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Directed by
Ava DuVernay
Watch on Netflix
A searing documentary about incarceraton, Ava DuVernay’s 13th is an urgent exploration of the way that America’s modern prison industrial complex is rooted in the country’s long history of slavery. The documentary is not always an easy watch, but it’s a harrowing look at how the world got to be the way it is today. People have spent decades trying to explain away the vast overrepresentation of Black people in prisons, but in 13th, DuVernay urges you to look closer, and see what’s really going on.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
87%
7.1/10
120m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Directed by
Barry Jenkins
Watch on Hulu
Barry Jenkins is still so young, and he has so much great work left to do, but the one-two punch of Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk has already cemented his legacy. If Beale Street Could Talk splits its time between a swoony love story and the stark aftermath of a wrongful arrest, and it feels fully vibrant and alive in both timelines. It’s a beautiful movie about a couple in love, and the tragedy of a world that seeks to keep them apart.
