These 31 Black History Documentaries Are Essential Viewing
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In 2020, the country faced another serious reckoning of racial and economic disparity, and despite what any given day’s trending topics may be, it’s a reckoning that’s here to stay. Today is the perfect time to get back on track when it comes to expanding your knowledge and educating yourself if you’ve fallen off in the more than two years since. Black history is American history and should be important to all races.
Thankfully, there’s a huge selection of documentaries that delve into Black history and tell necessary, often overlooked stories. Whether you want to learn about the origins of the school-to-prison pipeline, the stories behind well-known Black athletes and artists, the impact of colorism and racist legislation, or other topics that detail the experiences many in Black America battle, there’s likely a documentary for you.
And the best part? Most of them are available on accessible streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Here’s a list of 31 documentaries that can educate and remind you how we got here.
Is That Black Enough For You?!? (2022)
Part documentary, part personal essay, this movie from writer Elvis Mitchell dives into the world of cinema and how the contributions of African Americans are often overlooked (a terrible trend that's been ongoing since the start of the movie industry). It includes the perspectives of mega Hollywood stars like Zendaya, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoppi Goldberg, and Laurence Fishburne.
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising (2022)
Another great doc for cinema lovers to watch, this new release explores how Black actresses were long overlooked in Hollywood, and the advancements they've made in recent years to become some of the most sought-after talent in America. It's hosted by ABC News journalists Linsey Davis and Deborah Roberts, so you're guaranteed some top-notch reporting.
Summer of Soul (2021)
This doc from musician Questlove (which BTW marks his directorial debut!) showcases the Harlem Cultural Festival that took place in the summer of 1969, just 100 miles south of Woodstock, and takes a look at music as part of the historical record. Plus, you'll get to see performances by amazing Black artists like Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Sly & the Family Stone. Once you watch it, you'll understand why it won a few different awards when it premiered at Sundance.
Black Panthers (1968)
This short doc might be 55 years old, but it's as important as ever. It's about a protest held by the Black Panther Party (which, if you're not familiar, was formed with the goal of challenging the misconduct and excessive force used by the Oakland Police Department). At the protest, they advocated for the freedom of Huey P. Newton, one of the party's founders who was convicted of manslaughter in the death of a police officer. It's a complex issue that is still very relavent today.
Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands (2022)
If you don't know about Marian Anderson yet, you really need to! The singer not only broke tons of barriers in her career (she was even the first Black woman to perform at the Metropolitan Opera!) but she also spent much of her life advocating for civil rights. She worked as a delegate to the UN, was a Goodwill Ambassador for the US Department of State, and sang at the March on Washington. And as if that's not enough, she won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award AND was given the first-ever Presidential Medal of Freedom. Talk about an impressive resume!
Billie (2019)
Billie Holiday is arguably one of the most iconic American musicians, having massive influence over the evolution of both jazz and pop. This documentary focuses on a series of audio-recorded interviews from the 1970s that were meant to be used for a book on Holiday that was sadly never completed after the author died in '78. The interviews are with Holiday's friends, family, and major musicians like Count Basie and Sylvia Syms.
Let The World See (2022)
This is a three-part docuseries so you'll want to clear some time in your schedule, but let me tell ya, it's worth it. It tells the story of the powerful Mamie Till-Mobley, a Chicago mother who became an influential activist and public speaker after her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, was murdered by two brothers after it was alleged he had whistled at a white woman.
Slavery by Another Name (2012)
Some Americans still believe slavery ended with the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, but this documentary challenges that view by delving into the stories of thousands of African Americans who were pulled back into forced labor after the fact. It’s an eye-opening watch that will help you become more aware of the many ways that slavery continued for decades after its alleged “abolition.”
LA 92 (2017)
Twenty-five years after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, this National Geographic documentary dug into the upheaval that came after a jury acquitted four LAPD officers charged in the beating of Rodney King. It uses rarely seen archival footage to tell the story of the brutal beating, trial, and the several-days-long riots that followed. It includes statements from President George H. W. Bush, presidential candidate Bill Clinton, two of the acquitted officers, and even King himself.
The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013)
Muhammad Ali may be almost exclusively known as one of the greatest boxers of all time, but there’s much more to his story than that. This documentary dives into parts of his life outside the boxing ring, including an exploration of how Ali’s refusal to serve in the Vietnam War because of his religious beliefs left him looking down the barrel of a five-year prison sentence and ended with him banned from boxing and stripped of his titles.
Who Killed Malcolm X? (2020)
In 1965, Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X was assassinated as he was preparing to address the Organization of Afro-American Unity in New York City. Two men were arrested and convicted with the murder, but this docuseries digs into the unknown elements around Malcolm X’s murder. In fact, it did so much digging that the release of the series prompted a new review of the poorly handled case and eventually led to an exoneration for the two men.
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)
Nina Simone was not only a legendary singer but also a powerful civil rights activist. This documentary takes you through her life from a rising singing talent to how she took issue with racial injustices in her music to when she moved to Liberia after the music industry punished her for speaking out. You’ll get to see previously unreleased footage of Simone as well as interviews with her family and friends.
More Than a Month (2012)
In this documentary, filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman asks the question: Is it time to end Black History Month? He travels all around the country to speak with people and get their views while humorously explaining the pitfalls of Black History Month as it stands now. Not only is it the shortest and coldest month of the year, but as Tilghman gets into, designating one singular month for Black history risks separating it from American history as a whole.
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (2021)
Food writer Stephen Satterfield hosts this four-episode Netflix miniseries, which is based on the book High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey From Africa to America by renowned cookbook author and historian Jessica B. Harris. Satterfield unpacks the layered history of how America’s most beloved dishes, from cornbread and okra to baked mac and cheese, stem from Black culture. He highlights the historical figures who introduced these meals and dives into some of the techniques that make the foods what we know and love today.
Good Hair (2009)
This documentary examines the beauty of Black hair. Comedian Chris Rock leads the film, starting off with trying to answer his daughter’s heartbreaking question: “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?” Chris investigates the full gamut of Black hair, how it impacts daily life, and the booming industry it created. From visiting local hair salons and epic hair shows to traveling to India to see the origins of the weave business, the comedian explores serious themes with humor, empathy, and relatability. Celebrities like Kerry Washington, Raven Symoné, and the late Maya Angelou share personal stories in interviews.
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011)
If you watch only one film from this list, make it this one (but please, watch more). Shot during the ’60s and ’70s, this Sundance Film Festival winner is the brainchild of Swedish filmmakers who came to the United States to capture the anti-war and Black Power movement, which was being mischaracterized as a terrorist group by white leaders. The footage sat for nearly 30 years before being compiled into this documentary that explores the Black culture and style that ignited social change in an oppressive landscape. A plethora of contemporary interviews from notable Black artists, historians, and activists accompany the original footage.
Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé (2019)
Okay, so this one isn’t historical per se, but hear us out. Queen Bey used her 2018 Coachella (ahem, Beychella) headline set to expose a mostly white audience to the exhilarating beauty, jubilation, and complete wonder that is the HBCU homecoming experience. From the marching band to the majorette dancers and their uniforms, to the nod to Black Greek life and stepping, Beyoncé took viewers all the way to school—all while making her Black fanbase feel seen, celebrated, and honored. The film is very much a documentary, interlacing the historic performance (Bey was the first Black woman to ever headline Coachella) with compelling behind-the-scenes footage of the prep it took to make the show the glory that it was, as well as intimate personal details around Beyonce’s often private life.
They’ve Gotta Have Us (2018)
Dive into the history of Black Hollywood and how Hollywood was influenced by Black artists, both in front of and behind the lens. This three-episode docuseries features iconic Black entertainers of the past and present, from Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier (who was the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1964 and recently passed away) to Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Allen, Ruth E. Carter, and John Boyega. They share moving stories of trailblazing, passing the torch, and taking their space in an often unwelcoming industry.
The Loving Story (2011)
The story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple in Virginia who traveled to D.C. to get legally married only to face a massive legal battle and jail time when they returned home, was a romance that had widespread impact. The American Civil Liberties Union took on their case and went all the way to the Supreme Court. Their victory marked a turning point, and 16 states overturned bans on interracial marriage in response—all because of one sweet, unassuming couple. (If you want a fictional take on this story instead, check out Loving (2016) starring Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton.)
I Am Not Your Negro (2018)
Interest in Raoul Peck’s Oscar-nominated documentary that explores James Baldwin’s unfinished work definitely spiked in June 2020. But that just goes to show how Baldwin’s words and how he remembers figures from the Civil Rights Movement (including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers) are very important. This documentary underlines the connection between the Civil Rights Movement and Black Lives Matter.
Ethnic Notions (1987)
You’ll need a library card to stream this documentary, but it’s absolutely worth it. Marlon Riggs’s Ethnic Notions tracks the history of anti-Black stereotypes in popular culture, particularly in cartoons, and how those harmful depictions have evolved from the antebellum period to the 1980s. We’ve all been shown coded racist imagery since birth and we still see variations in film and TV tropes today. If you’ve ever been told that a popular film is racist and you didn’t think it was a big deal, this is the doc for you.
Freedom Riders (2010)
If you need proof that protests work and young people can make a difference, look no further than the story of the Freedom Riders, who pushed back against Jim Crow laws in the American South in 1961. This group of hundreds of activists included Representative John Lewis and brought an unprecedented amount of attention to segregation and troubles on the home front at a time when national attention had turned overseas.
13th (2016)
The 13th amendment legally ended slavery in the United States back in 1865, and Netflix’s 13th, named after that amendment, delves into why slavery never really ended and was basically just replaced with mass incarceration. Directed by filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the film puts the country’s history of racial inequality on full display through the lens of the nation’s prisons, which are disproportionately filled with Black Americans.
Dark Girls (2011)
Dark Girls explores the biases against those with darker Black skin tones. This doc, which was nominated for a 2011 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary, is filled with interviews from children, award-winning actresses, and Black female comedians who have experienced this bias. An equally powerful follow-up documentary, Dark Girls 2, goes even deeper on the prejudices that dark-skinned women face culturally and globally.
When They See Us (2019)
Okay, this technically falls more into the “biopic” category because it’s a fictionalization of real events, but we’re putting it here anyway. Another Ava DuVernay creation, this Netflix series illustrates the story of the Exonerated Five—formerly known as the Central Park Five—both artfully and powerfully. This four-part limited series tells the story of how the five men, four who are Black and one who is Latino, were falsely accused of and prosecuted for raping and assaulting a woman in Central Park. The series serves as a reminder of how badly the justice system has failed people of color (and continues to do so).
Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans (2008)
Faubourg Tremé is one of the oldest Black neighborhoods in America, and it served as the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement. This documentary tells the story of that neighborhood through interviews that explore its legacy. People who want to learn about Black History, civil rights, and sociology need to add this to their watch list.
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)
Directed by award-winning documentarian David France, this Netflix film investigates the 1992 death of drag queen, activist and trailblazer Marsha P. Johnson (pictured above), who was found floating in the Hudson River. Although her death was initially ruled a suicide, many believe she was murdered. The fight for LGBTQ+ equality is far from over, and this documentary will remind you of the many challenges faced by those with intersectional identities.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Another film that isn’t technically a documentary but is still based on true events, this Netflix movie delves into the minds of four Black soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War during a time when Black people were actively oppressed in the states. Weaving social commentary and hard-hitting emotions together, this Spike Lee movie will make you reexamine what you might have learned about Vietnam in your U.S. history class.
Step (2017)
This documentary takes you through the senior year of an all-girls step team in Baltimore as they try to become first-generation college students. With obstacles and social unrest in their path, the teens attempt to succeed in dance. Viewers will find themselves emotional and touched by this celebration of Black womanhood.
Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People (2014)
What would the story of Black history look like in America if we actually got to see photos that have been suppressed, lost, or forgotten? Through a Lens Darkly poses that question and, by using powerful pictures you’ve probably never seen before, explores photography’s role in shaping who is and is not reflected in our history books. While you watch, you’ll reflect on how important photography is in telling stories, but also how it’s tied to racism and what it would mean to capture Blackness in all its glory.
Teach Us All (2017)
This Netflix film is all about the current state of the U.S. education system and why schools still feel so segregated despite Brown v. Board of Education. Also acting as a social campaign, the film emphasizes the need for collective action to rectify the educational disparities between American children. It’ll make you think about how far we’ve actually come (or…not) in the 60 years since Brown v. Board of Education and where we go from here.
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