A Collection of Films to Celebrate Black Cinema
February is known as Black History Month for coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Watching noteworthy films for the black community is also part of commemorating or celebrating Black History Month. So here are my picks for top Black History Month picks.
We are adding fiction feature films only. For the list, including documentaries, visit our list on Letterboxd.
Honorable Mentions:
- Sweet Sweetbacks Baadasssss Song
- Last Black Man In San Francisco
- Straight Outta Compton
20 42

In 42, Chadwick Boseman plays the first black Major League baseball player, Jackie Robinson. Like other films in this list, it can be unsettling in some sequences. However, seeing this real-life triumph on screen is also thrilling and rewarding.
19 Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Viola Davis does an extraordinary performance as ” Gertrude “Ma” Rainey. She definitely replicates the singing, the sweating, and the sassiness of that character. She lives and breathes “The Mother of Blues”. It’s arguably the best performance of her career. Chadwick Boseman’s performance as Levee Green is also notable.
18 One Night In Miami

Regina King’s directorial debut is a fictional account of a real-life meeting of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke. The four men discussed their roles in the civil rights movement as successful men of color. Written by Kemp Powers, based on his own stage play, this drama touches on various topics related to race, religion, public perception, and their future. With an intense and razor-sharp dialogue, there’s no dull moment in that hotel room.
17 The Watermelon Woman

Cheryl Dunye writes, directs, edits, and makes history as the first black lesbian to do a feature film. Dunye stars as a young woman who works at a video store during the day and tries to complete a movie about a black actress from the 1930s known for playing the stereotypical “mammy” roles relegated to black actresses during the period. Considered a landmark in the New Queer Cinema movement, this film is a recognition and love letter to those who made it against all odds and racist stereotypes from the past.
16 In The Heat Of The Night

Although this is not a movie made entirely by people of color (still, Norman Jewison was a great filmmaker), we can’t turn a blind eye to Sidney Poitier’s legacy and performance. A Philadelphia police detective arrested in a racist Mississippi town and eventually investigating that same crime he was accused of, he’s one of the bravest and most inspiring characters ever put on screen. You can see the intensity in Poitier’s eyes. He felt when he bitch-slapped a white racist dude. That is the kind of unyielding statement that we need today.
15 Sorry to Bother You

Did you ever have to change your access or how you speak in a dead-end job? So you’ll relate to this biting satire. At least before it turns crazy and surreal. Boots Riley’s film is about race, social class, and oppression. Of course, it’s also about toxic workplaces and shitty bosses, something that will touch anyone whose professional life has been a living hell.
14 Watermelon Man

Have you ever read or know about Kafka’s Metamorphosis? Imagine the main character is a racist white dude. Now imagine the racist white doesn’t turn into an insect. He turns into something he hates, even more, a black dude. Melvin Van Peebles’s satire is relentless, irreverent, and hilarious. This stylish film satirizes the sitcom idea of suburban life.
13 Judas and the Black Messiah

Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah chronicles the betrayal of Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in the late-1960s Chicago, by William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield), an FBI informant. In this crime thriller about this notable event in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, both Kaluuya and Stanfield give excellent performances.
12 Boyz n the Hood

Ironically, we can buy Boyz n the Hood posters and t-shirts in our local Old Navy or Target. In 1991, though, John Singleton’s seminal crime thriller about the youth of South Central LA caused controversy and fear. Of course, people feared this movie. How dare a black director do such a horrific thing as a realistic take on life in the streets of South Central. Maybe the police wanted people to be cautious of this dangerous film so everyone could forget what they did to Rodney King a few months prior. Just saying.
11 Selma

Ava DuVernay is one of the best filmmakers today, and her cinematic reenactment of the Selma to Montgomery march is one of the reasons why. Not only is this an achievement in DuVernay’s career, but it’s also a reminder of our voting rights. Therefore, we can consider this a must-watch in electoral years.
10 Daughters of the Dust

Inspired by her Gulla family, Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust is one of the most gorgeous movies I’ve ever seen. Each take, each scene, is poetic and dreamlike. It’s a film about family and enjoying their time together. The film’s portrayal of the Gulla people in the early 20th Century looks so good that I want to go there and join their dinner.
9 Killer of Sheep

Charlie Burnett’s take on a slaughterhouse worker in Watts, Los Angeles, is an indie, neo-realist accomplishment. It is as relevant for black cinema as it is for indie cinema. Although Burnett’s masterpiece is harrowing, seeing kids running around and wearing a dog mask is delightful.
8 Within Our Gates

One of the earliest surviving black films, Oscar Micheaux’s courageous silent drama follows an educated black woman dedicating herself to helping a bankrupt school educate poor kids. All the themes of race and social class are still relevant more than a century later. Michaeux’s bravura is awe-inspiring. If he had the guts to be an agitator over 100 years ago, why we don’t?
7 Black Panther

Perhaps a controversial choice for being so high on this list is Ryan Coogler’s first MCU film, Black Panther. The long-awaited Black Panther debut celebrates the character and his African roots. With a predominantly black cast and crew, this movie is an achievement in mainstream blockbuster cinema. That is no small feat. It’s movie history.
6 Nothing But a Man

Directed by Michael Roemer and written by Robert M Young, their background and research are as compelling as the movie. Starring Hogan’s Heroes Ivan Dixon and Jazz singer Abbey Lincoln, Nothing But a Man is a brutally honest depiction of Alabama in the 60s. Considered a landmark in American filmmaking yet overlooked, this is a powerful neo-realist film about race, courage, and love. And the Motown soundtrack is 🔥🔥🔥.
5 Losing Ground

Forgotten for decades and restored and re-released in 2015 by the director’s daughter 2015. Losing Ground is one of the most beautiful films I ever watched. Activist and filmmaker Kathleen Collins was also a great playwright. Her superb writing talent can be seen in scenes where quotes like, “Don’t you take your dick out like it was artistic like it’s some goddamn paintbrush.” graces our ears. The fact this film is so overlooked is a crime against black female auteurs and cinema as an art form in general.
4 Nickel Boys

The newest film on the list, Nickel Boys, is inspired by real-life events in the Dozier School for Boys reformatory school. It is a heartbreaking and infuriating account of systemic racism and correctional institutions. It is also a well-crafted game changer filmed in first person accompanied by beautiful images. It’s my pick for the best 2024 movie and one that should be considered for revisiting and studying.
3 Malcolm X

No Black History Month movie list would be complete without a “Spike Lee joint.” Malcolm X is Lee’s biographical epic about the title activist and leader. It’s one of the monumental films about black history in America.
2 Moonlight

Nowadays, A24 is such a phenomenon that terms like “A24 vibes” are part of the Internet film community’s conversation. Whether or not you love A24’s importance in the cinephile community or cringe about it, we have Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight to thank for putting independent films on the map again. Most importantly, we have to say thanks for its themes of discrimination, masculinity, and identity.
1 Do The Right Thing

Finishing our list with another Spike Lee joint. Do The Right Thing might be considered THE Joint in Lee’s prolific cinematography. Chronicling the hottest summer day in Brooklyn, New York, racial tension arises between the Italians from the corner pizzeria and the black community. There are also Latinxs, Asians, and even the white guy riding a bicycle. This is a modern classic about race that doesn’t back down from being explicit on the subject. It is so gorgeously shot that I still wonder if they filmed it on location or if it’s the most beautiful recreation of a Brooklyn block ever.
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