Wednesday marked the first day of Black History Month in 2017, and if SNL comedian Leslie Jones’ commentary on the film “Hidden Figures” was any indication, it’s likely that many parents will be taking their kids to movie theaters to learn about the unsung heroes of space exploration.
“I am so glad I watched the movie,” Jones said on SNL’s weekend update segment last month. “It taught me something that I never knew: Black women helped astronauts go to space! Why didn’t they teach me that in school?”
But if you don’t feel like heading all the way to the theater, there are several other movies — though perhaps not enough — that tell the stories of other heroes in African American history. Here are some suggestions:
“Malcolm X” (1992)
This movie stars a young and dashing Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, one of the most influential civil rights activists of the 1960s. And it’s good, too — it has 91 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“12 Years a Slave” (2013)
It’s probably best to watch this one after the kids are asleep. This Oscar-winning film is an adaptation of the 1853 memoir of slave Solomon Northup. It paints a brutal — and realistic — image of the horrors of American slavery.
“Ali” (2001)
Legendary Boxer Mohammed Ali passed away just last year, bringing debates about his political ideologies and his refusal to join the Vietnam War back to the forefront of American conversation. In this film, Ali is played by Will Smith. The movie not only shows his boxing talents, but confronts many of his controversial stances.
“The Rosa Parks Story” (2002)
Angela Bassett portrays the titular character in this TV movie from CBS. Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her bus seat to a white man during a time of racial segregation. Her action sparked the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott and became an integral moment in the civil rights movement.
“OJ: Made in America” (2016)
This is not a movie, but it is a brilliantly-made documentary series produced by ESPN. It investigates not only the murder trial of O.J. Simpson in the mid-1990s, but the historical circumstances in which the trial occurred, including police violence and racial discrimination.
“Selma” (2015)
Another Oscar-winning film, this movie about Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1965 march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery. It was directed by widely-acclaimed director Ava DuVernay and has a 99 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The Josephine Baker Story” (1990)
A straight-to-TV film from HBO, this biopic follows the life of dancer and singer Josephine Baker. In this adaptation, Baker is played by Lynn Whitfield.
“Amistad” (1997)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie depicts the true story of a 1839 mutiny on the slave ship La Amistad off the coast of Cuba. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, and although ultimately lost out, it’s still an informative and Betgaranti entertaining historical drama.
“Glory” (1989)
Starring acting giants Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, this Civil War story about a Union Army unit consisting entirely of black soldiers won multiple Academy Awards.
“Lemonade” (2016)
When Beyonce released her much-anticipated album in April 2016, she also dropped a surprise 60-minute film by the same name, which premiered on HBO. The film is not just a series of music videos of the songs on her album, but a movie that stands wholly on its own. And while it’s not technically a history movie, it is a poetic devotion to the experience, trials and triumphs of black women — a must-watch for anyone interested in studying the political, historical and cultural climate in which black women live today.
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