Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "black-history"

1. Hidden Figures (2016)

PG | 127 min | Biography, Drama, History

The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.

Director: Theodore Melfi | Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner

Votes: 255,354 | Gross: $169.61M

2. 12 Years a Slave (2013)

R | 134 min | Biography, Drama, History

In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free Black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

Director: Steve McQueen | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt

Votes: 741,456 | Gross: $56.67M

3. Glory (1989)

R | 122 min | Biography, Drama, History

Robert Gould Shaw leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.

Director: Edward Zwick | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman

Votes: 144,479 | Gross: $26.83M

4. Malcolm X (1992)

PG-13 | 202 min | Biography, Drama, History

Biographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his eventual assassination.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo, Spike Lee

Votes: 102,045 | Gross: $48.17M

5. Selma (2014)

PG-13 | 128 min | Biography, Drama, History

A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.

Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Wilkinson

Votes: 95,504 | Gross: $52.08M

6. The Butler (I) (2013)

PG-13 | 132 min | Biography, Drama

As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.

Director: Lee Daniels | Stars: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda

Votes: 119,750 | Gross: $116.63M

7. Ali (2001)

R | 157 min | Biography, Drama, Sport

A biography of sports legend Muhammad Ali, focusing on his triumphs and controversies between 1964 and 1974.

Director: Michael Mann | Stars: Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles

Votes: 105,568 | Gross: $58.20M

8. Da 5 Bloods (2020)

R | 154 min | Adventure, Drama, War

Four African-American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis

Votes: 55,149

9. Miss Juneteenth (2020)

Unrated | 99 min | Drama

A former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the "Miss Juneteenth" pageant.

Director: Channing Godfrey Peoples | Stars: Nicole Beharie, Liz Mikel, Marcus M. Mauldin, Kendrick Sampson

Votes: 2,163

10. Jazz (2001)

108 min | Documentary, History, Music

A survey of the musical form's history and major talents.

Stars: Keith David, Wynton Marsalis, Gary Giddins, Delroy Lindo

Votes: 2,499

11. Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (2021 TV Movie)

TV-PG | 102 min | Biography, Drama, Music

The story of the New Orleans-born crooner who began singing at an early age and went on to become one of the most revered gospel figures in U.S. history, melding her music with the civil rights movement.

Director: Kenny Leon | Stars: Danielle Brooks, Olivia Washington, Joaquina Kalukango, Jason Dirden

Votes: 693

12. What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)

Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Biography, Music

A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."

Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman

Votes: 14,834

13. Medicine for Melancholy (2008)

Not Rated | 88 min | Drama, Romance

Twenty-four hours in the tentative relationship of two young San Franciscans also dealing with the conundrum of being a minority in a rapidly gentrifying city.

Director: Barry Jenkins | Stars: Wyatt Cenac, Tracey Heggins, John Thurgood, Brent Weinbach

Votes: 2,617 | Gross: $0.11M

14. Eyes on the Prize (1987–1990)

TV-PG | 360 min | Documentary, History

A documentary about the American Civil Rights Movement from 1952 to 1965.

Stars: Julian Bond, Coretta Scott King, John Lewis, Andrew Young

Votes: 737

15. Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)

TV-14 | 96 min | Biography, Drama, History

A remarkable story inspired by the life of renowned Chickasaw cattleman Montford T. Johnson, a man who overcame great hardships to establish a ranching empire along the famous cattle highway of the American West, the Chisolm Trail.

Director: Nathan Frankowski | Stars: Martin Sensmeier, Dermot Mulroney, Tommy Flanagan, James Landry Hébert

Votes: 1,002

16. Freedom Road (1979 TV Movie)

186 min | Drama

A former slave Gideon Jackson, after fighting in the civil war returns home as a free man and becomes a U.S. senator. Will he ever achieve real equality with his former white master?

Director: Ján Kadár | Stars: Muhammad Ali, Kris Kristofferson, Ron O'Neal, Edward Herrmann

Votes: 208

17. Brother Future (1991 TV Movie)

TV-PG | 103 min | Drama, History, Sci-Fi

A young street rapper is transported back in time to the pre-Civil War South, where he finds himself in the middle of a slave revolt.

Director: Roy Campanella II | Stars: Phill Lewis, Carl Lumbly, Michael Burgess, Akosua Busia

Votes: 228

18. Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004)

TV-PG | 214 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport

The story of Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight boxing champion.

Director: Ken Burns | Stars: Jack Johnson, Keith David, Samuel L. Jackson, Adam Arkin

Votes: 1,691

19. Looking for Langston (1989)

R | 45 min | Biography, Drama

A black and white, fantasy-like recreation of high-society gay men during the Harlem Renaissance, with archival footage and photographs intercut with a story. A wake is going on, with ... See full summary »

Director: Isaac Julien | Stars: Ben Ellison, Matthew Baidoo, Akim Mogaji, John Wilson

Votes: 613

20. Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali (2021)

PG-13 | 95 min | Documentary, Biography, History

From a chance meeting to a tragic fallout, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali's extraordinary bond cracks under the weight of distrust and shifting ideals.

Director: Marcus A. Clarke | Stars: Ilyasah Shabazz, Rahman Ali, Cornel West, Todd Boyd

Votes: 1,209

21. Fly

Action, Drama, Romance | Announced

In 2009 Atlanta, four young African American women, a Latina executive and a Caucasian heiress work for an airline at the world's busiest airport while confronting personal and professional challenges.

Stars: Bruce Boxleitner, Tatyana Ali, Glynn Turman, Dan Lauria

22. The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)

Not Rated | 88 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime

A chronicle of Fred Hampton's revolutionary leadership of the Illinois Black Panther Party, followed by an investigation into his assassination at the hands of the Chicago Police Department.

Director: Howard Alk | Stars: Skip Andrew, Edward Carmody, James Davis, Rennie Davis

Votes: 555

23. Kevin Hart's Guide to Black History (2019 TV Movie)

TV-PG | 62 min | Comedy

Kevin Hart highlights the fascinating contributions of black history's unsung heroes in this entertaining and educational comedy special.

Director: Tom Stern | Stars: Steve Agee, Derek Basco, Brad Berryhill, Kirk Bovill

Votes: 1,465

24. A Huey P. Newton Story (2001 TV Movie)

TV-14 | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Drama

The story of how the radical Huey P. Newton developed the Black Panther Party based on his 10-point program for social reform.

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Roger Guenveur Smith, Rahum Brown, Brenda Lee, Georgina Ransley

Votes: 852

25. Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom (2022)

75 min | Documentary

A Black American is troubled by the legacy of American slavery and the misuse of Christianity to justify it. He travels throughout Texas discovering how the Juneteenth reveals faith and a fight for freedom in an unjust society.

Director: Ya'Ke Smith | Stars: Rasool Berry, Lecrae, Opal Lee

Votes: 17

26. South (1999)

71 min | Documentary

A documentary examining the effect of a man dragged to death on the residents in Jasper, Texas.

Director: Chantal Akerman

Votes: 396

27. A Distant Shore: African Americans of D-Day (2007 TV Movie)

Documentary, History, War

The role of African American soldiers during the World War II Allied invasion of Normandy.

Star: Josh Harraway

Votes: 24

28. August 28th (2016)

22 min | Documentary, Short

Documentary film on events that happened on August 28th in African-American history.

Director: Ava DuVernay | Stars: Don Cheadle, Regina King, Angela Bassett, Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Votes: 101

29. One Man and His Shoes (2020)

Not Rated | 83 min | Documentary, Biography, History

'One Man and His Shoes' tells the story of the phenomenon of Air Jordan sneakers showing their social, cultural and racial significance and how ground-breaking marketing strategies created a multi-billion-dollar business.

Director: Yemi Bamiro | Stars: David Falk, Jemele Hill, Scoop Jackson, DJ Clark Kent

Votes: 427

30. Allensworth (2022)

65 min | Documentary

It centers on Allensworth, the first self-administered African-American municipality in California, showcasing the buildings of the now-abandoned town and looking for the traces of a Black cultural history.

Director: James Benning

Votes: 42

31. Iraniyan (1999)

163 min | Action, Drama

A home-coming military man becomes rebel after seeing caste discrimination and brutal killings by a landlord over lower caste people.

Director: Vincent Selva | Stars: Meena, Raghuvaran, Ranjith, Murali Siddalingaiah

Votes: 26

32. Emicida: AmarElo - It's All for Yesterday (2020)

TV-MA | 89 min | Documentary, Music

Between scenes from his concert in São Paulo's Theatro Municipal, rapper and activist Emicida celebrates the rich legacy of Black Brazilian culture.

Director: Fred Ouro Preto | Stars: Emicida, Zeca Pagodinho, Pabllo Vittar

Votes: 1,664

33. Legacies (2019)

34 min | Documentary, Short

In the heart of West Philadelphia, an area that is rapidly changing, sits Jubilee School. For over 40 years this small school has offered a radical curriculum centered around Black History,... See full summary »

Director: Clair Maleney

34. 1000 Years a Slave (2021)

45 min | Documentary, History

An exploration of how slavery has underpinned world history.

Stars: Karen Bryson, David Harewood, Mary Elliott, Patrick Robinson

Votes: 24

35. The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story (2000 TV Movie)

80 min | Documentary

This is a Documentary of the infamous Tulsa Massacre of 1921, locally called "The Tulsa Race Riot." Most of the Black section of town was burned and many Black citizens were murdered by ... See full synopsis »

Director: Michael Wilkerson | Stars: Roscoe Lee Browne, Nell Carter, Bill Cosby, Rocky Frisco

Votes: 40

36. The First Rainbow Coalition (2019)

56 min | Documentary

Chicago 1969: Activists from the Black Panthers, Young Lords, and Young Patriots united African Americans, Latinos, and poor whites to confront police brutality and unfair housing practices... See full summary »

Director: Ray Santisteban | Stars: Billy Che Brooks, Kathleen Cleaver, Fred Hampton, Ericka Huggins

Votes: 57

37. Assata aka Joanne Chesimard (2008)

93 min | Drama

Assata Shakur, the firebrand revolutionary Black Panther, was convicted and sentenced to life in a widely publicized case involving a 1973 shootout on the NJ Turnpike, which resulted in the... See full summary »

Director: Fred Baker | Stars: Will Blagrove, Rick Borgia, J.D. Brown, Kathleen Cleaver

38. Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans (2008)

Not Rated | 68 min | Documentary

Faubourg Treme documents the enduring legacy of one of the United States' oldest African American communities, an area just outside the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Director: Dawn Logsdon | Stars: Glen David Andrews, Harold Evans, Eric Foner, John Hope Franklin

Votes: 90

39. A True Menstrual Show (2020)

Short, Drama

Add a Plot

Director: Joshua Daniel | Stars: Tyrone Barnes, Jesse Beamon, Joshua Daniel, Ekeme Ekanem

40. Bookmarks (2020)

TV-G | Short, Family

Prominent Black celebrities and artists read children's books from Black authors that highlight the Black experience. Conversations center around themes of identity, respect, justice, and action.

Stars: Marley Dias, Common, Tiffany Haddish, Lupita Nyong'o

Votes: 172

41. Crown (I) (2023)

48 min | Documentary

This relevant and timely documentary explores the lived experiences of prominent local Black women in Tulsa pertaining to racism and discrimination in the workplace and school. It is also a... See full summary »

Director: Tamecca S. Rogers | Stars: Dawn Carter, Lakisha Cyrus, Toya Forbes, France Gammage

42. American Revolution 2 (1969)

86 min | Documentary

A gritty but essential documentary charting social turbulence in late 1960's Chicago. American Revolution 2 includes footage of the 1968 Democratic Convention protest and riot, a critique ... See full summary »

Directors: Howard Alk, Mike Gray | Stars: Richard J. Daley, Charles Geary, Dick Gregory, Bobby Lee

Votes: 132

43. Echoes of Glory, Heroes from the American Revolution (II) (2024 TV Special)

58 min | History | Post-production

Eight heroes from the American Revolution tell stories of danger, bravery and overcoming. Viewers meet John Featherstone, African American Naval mariner who fought in the first sea battle ... See full summary »

Director: Chris Weatherhead | Stars: Clarence Felder, Chris Weatherhead, Robbin Knight, Michelle P Warren

44. Public Enemy: Fight the Power (1989 Music Video)

TV-MA | 7 min | Music

Public Enemy performs in the music video "Fight the Power" from the album "Fear of a Black Planet" recorded for Def Jam Records. The music video opens with a demonstration on the street. ... See full summary »

Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Public Enemy, Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff

Votes: 165

45. Black Life: Untold Stories (I) (2023– )

Documentary, History

Interviews to narrate the long history of anti-black racism in Canada, including police brutality and the rise of hip-hop music.

Stars: Brian Obonna, Wes Williams, Jully Black, Sandy Hudson

Votes: 20

46. Before They Die! (2008)

92 min | Documentary, Crime, History

This is the story of the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, the worst case of domestic terrorism in American history. It is about the few remaining survivors and their fight for justice and ... See full summary »

Directors: Reginald Turner, St. Clair Bourne, Michael Hausfeld, John Rogers, J. Denise Clement | Stars: Franklyn Ajaye, Otis Clark, Olivia Hooker, Charles Ogletree

Votes: 15

47. Queen of the Skies (I)

Not Rated | 49 min | Adventure | Announced

A riveting film about the first Black woman to get her pilot's license. Her story is filled with romance, adventure, and determination to succeed in times especially difficult for women and minorities.

48. Sammy-Gate (2020)

Biography

A dark political satire about how Sammy Davis, Jr. caused Watergate.

Director: Noel Lawrence | Stars: Richard Beatty, Phil Proctor, Peter Henry Schroeder, Durga McBroom

Votes: 27

49. The Sacrifice (I) (2024)

Short, History

Abraham is tested by YAHUAH to not only kill his firstborn son, Issac, but Abraham must also burn his body in a burnt offering. There is only one problem, the whole world can't be blessed by Issac's descendants if he's dead.

Director: Dennis Delemar | Star: Dennis Delemar

50. Hate Crimes in the Heartland (2015)

Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary, Crime, History

"Hate Crimes in the Heartland," a feature documentary explores the 250,000 hate crimes committed in America each year through the powerful stories of two crimes committed in Tulsa, Oklahoma... See full summary »

Director: Rachel Lyon | Stars: Dewey Bartlett, Warren G. Blakney Sr., Clark Brewster, David Hall

Votes: 70