Here are my favorite movies to watch to honor this historic month:
- “To Kill A Mockingbird” (1962)
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Based on the famous book by Harper Lee, this movie is about Atticus Finch, a white man who becomes the lawyer of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white girl. Based in post-Depression era Alabama, topics such as racism and justice are discussed in a passionate way that evokes both anger and sorrow for the viewers by the end of the film.
- “Selma” (2014)
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Selma tells the story of famous black rights activist and speaker Martin Luther King Jr. and his experience leading the march from Selma to Montgomery for African Americans’ voting rights. This motion picture was directed by Ava Duvernay, the first black woman to have a film nominated for “Best Picture” at the Oscars.
- “The Princess and The Frog” (2009)
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This Disney film tells the story of Tiana, a woman living in Louisiana struggling to build her own restaurant business. It’s the first Disney movie to feature an African-American princess. Tiana proves to all young girls (and boys!) watching that success comes with hard work and determination.
- “Hidden Figures” (2016)
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Based on a true story, this film is about the African American women who served as mathematicians for NASA during the 50s and 60s, amidst racial tension and blatant discrimination from society.
- “42” (2013)
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The number 42 was worn by baseball icon Jackie Robinson, the first African American to join the Major League Baseball, formally breaking the color barrier. Any baseball fan would love this movie and the historic story behind it.
- “The Help” (2011)
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This movie is not for the faint of heart. Sensitive topics such as abusive relationships and miscarriages are discussed, not to mention the racial language thrown around. The movie describes the lives of an AfricanAmerican maid’s work for a white family in the 1960s.
- “Remember the Titans” (2000)
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This movie is based on the true story of an African American high school football coach in an integrated school in Virginia in 1971. The team called the Titans, divided by racial tensions, struggles to play well when one of the captains becomes critically injured in a car accident.
- “The Loving Story” (2011)
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This documentary is about the real-life story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple who fought for the right to get married in the late 1950s. The legal battle resulted in the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, resulting in interracial marriage becoming legal across the United States.