Happy 100 years of Black History Month! Originally starting as “Negro History Week” in 1926 – a term coined by Dr. Carter G. Woodson – this month documents and celebrates the achievements of Black Americans throughout American history.
As this month rolls along, it’s important to find ways to support and learn from your community. A simple but effective way to learn about Black history is to watch Black cinema.
I have curated a list of beautiful and informative movies about Black identity. (And I promise they’re good!)
1. Sing Sing
Description: A man is imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn’t commit. When joined by a wary outsider, he finds purpose in staging an original comedy with a theater group of other incarcerated men.
Where to watch: HBO Max, Hulu
This film will make you cry and laugh all at the same time. Powerhouse actor Colman Domingo delivers a performance of a lifetime, unsurprisingly. But the real surprise is the performance of the real-life prisoners turned actors, especially Clarence Maclin. The majority of the cast were real-life ex-incarcerated men who participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. This movie highlights Black male self-expression and vulnerability, and how some prisoners manage to find their humanity in a system that was designed to strip it away from them.
2. Rye lane
Description: Following two youngsters reeling from bad break-ups who connect over a particularly eventful day in South London.
Where to watch: Hulu
What better way to celebrate Black history and Valentine’s Day than a Black led rom-com? Rye Lane is a colorful and natural film about grief and love. This film is director Raine Allen Miller’s first feature film, and it doesn’t disappoint. This movie is humorous and heart-felt, and a perfect movie to watch for Valentine’s (even if the day has already passed by).
3. One of them Days
Description: Best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) are about to have One of Them Days. When they discover Alyssa’s boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a comical race against the clock…
Where to watch: Netflix
This movie is a hilarious spin on the classic buddy comedy trope and has Keke Palmer and SZA, what else could you ask for? This film is SZA’s acting debut, and she delivers! Keke Palmer is amazing as always. This movie is a little bit stressful but a lot a bit funny. This movie is a perfect movie to watch with your girls!
4. Into The Spider-Verse
Description: Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man. When he meets Peter Parker, he soon realizes that there are many others who share his special, high-flying talents. Miles must now use his newfound skills to battle the evil Kingpin, a hulking madman who can open portals to other universes and pull different versions of Spider-Man into our world.
Where to watch: Netflix
As a comic and art nerd, this was a no-brainer to include. This film is not only a celebration of an iconic Black hero, but a celebration of the artists who created the film. Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel, Across the Spider-Verse break basic rules of animation but does it purposefully. Using different frame rates and animation mediums, this movie is a visual masterpiece. The representation from this movie transcends from beyond its main character, Miles Morales. From one of the directors, Kemp Powers, to its many Black cast and crew, this movie is a must-watch this month.
5. American Fiction
Description: Monk is a frustrated novelist whose fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.
Where to watch: Prime
This Oscar-nominated hilarious satire featuring Jeffrey Wright says everything it needs to say. The film has a great nod to great Black American jazz artist, Thelonious Monk, with its main character (played by Jeffrey Wright) being named the same. This film is based on the 2001 novel, Erasure, written by Percival Everett. American Fiction is an insightful exploration of identity and stereotypes, and a film you should definitely give a chance to.