by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

It is important to say first off that I am writing this as a white woman. The films that I compiled here are ones that have helped me to understand or appreciate Black stories, and Black storytellers. Some of these films are documentaries which helped to open my eyes about stories and social issues involving Black people that helped me to understand my privilege. Others are stories that are either enjoyable, fun, or moving. If you are looking for films to watch during Black History Month many of the films listed here are a great way to get started. 

Documentaires

I Am Not Your Negro (dir. Raoul Peck, 2017)
Where: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Kanopy

I Am Not Your Negro works off of the texts of James Baldwin’s unfinished works. The film talks about Malcom X and Martin Luther King, and Medgar Evans.  It also compiles many of the interviews and talks that James Baldwin gave on being Black in america. If you have not read or seen James Baldwin speak he is spectacular. He effortlessly makes any argument against civil rights see juvenile. The documentary is deeply moving and made me cry several times when I saw it in theaters. 

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (dir. Xavier Burgin, 2019)
Where: Shudder

If you are a movie fan this is a great way to understand some of the history of horror films. Just as Black history is American history, Black film history is film history. The ways that Black people have been portrayed in films and the roles available to Black actors are all important to understanding what we see on screen. Ashlee Blackwell is a writer and producer on the film who runs Graveyard Shift Sisters which is a scholarly website discussing Black women and film. Along with other historians and actors like Tony Todd, Rachel True, and Ken Foree you can learn the history of Black horror and add plenty more films to your watch list. 

13th (dir. Ava DuVernay, 2016)
Where: Netflix

Oftentimes people do not think about the prison system and those who are within it. With the disproportionate amount of Black people in prison this is an essential aspect of Black history and current affairs to know.  13th discusses the history of the prison system in the United States and shows us how it has become a new form of slavery. With scholars like Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, and Bryan Stevenson bringing their expertise to the screen, there is so much to learn. 

Fiction Films

Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins, 2017
Where: Netflix, Kanopy

This film swept the 2017 Oscars and rightfully so. Moonlight is a beautiful story of Chiron (Alex Hibbert/Ashton Sanders/Trevante Rhode). Split into three sections showing his childhood, teen years, and the man he becomes, you see the struggle he faces in a world where he feels like he needs to always hide an essential part of his true self. Another film that brought me to tears more than once, it is an unforgettable story. The acting is incredible and there are so few stories that tell the stories of Black LGBTQ characters that this is essential watching. 

The Watermelon Woman (dir. Cheryl Dunye, 1996)
Where: Showtime, Fubo

Cheryl Dunye directs and stars in a film in which she is a young eager filmmaker trying to track down the history of a young Black actress simply credited as “the watermelon woman”. It also shows Cheryl struggling in her dating life as she decides to start dating a white woman that comes into the video rental store she works in. There are so many aspects of this film that are interesting from the struggles of interracial relationships, to the difficulty finding out the history of Black women. It reminds us that not everyone's story and history gets remembered and the reasons for that often have to do with race and class. 

BlacKkKlansman (dir. Spike Lee, 2018)
Where: Fubo, FXnow

With the rise of white supremacy and Black Lives Matter protests in recent months this movie feels set in the 70s feels incredibly relevant. Ron Stallworth becomes a police officer and tries to infiltrate a group of KKK members in Colorado Springs. Faced with issues involving his racist coworkers, and his relationship with a young Black panther member the story has many layers and complexities. Spike Lee allows much of this to be fun while having many moments that are intense but he does not let viewers get away without having to face the issues that still face our country today. 

Devil in the Blue Dress (dir. Carl Franklin, 1995) 
Where: Fubo

This film is based on Walter Mosley’s story and character Easy Rawlins. If you like noir in the vein of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett then this is a great film to check out. Denzel Washington is amazing. Not only does it take on the typical story of a gumshoe detective trying to solve a case and facing issues with the police. It also shows the struggle of being Black, trying to service, and the struggle against racist cops. All of this adds a deeper level to the typical noir story and its a great flick to watch. 

Black Panther (dir. Ryan Coogler, 2018)
Where: Disney+

This is a great opportunity to pay homage to Chadwick Boseman who recently passed away, and watch him perform in one of the best Marvel superhero films out there. Ryan Coogler brings us to the land of Wakanda where T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and his people are thriving thanks to their amazing technology. They are threatened when Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) comes to claim the throne and use their technology to star wars all over the world. One of the huge strengths of the film is how it subverts the idea that all African countries are in poverty. This has fantastic performances from some of the best Black actors in the business and makes sure to have its important social commentary intertwined with its superhero story. 

This is only a small sample of the amazing Black stories that are out there and there are plenty of others you can rent like Boyz in the Hood, Get Out, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse. There are also plenty that have either recently come out or are about to come out that are making waves like One Night in Miami, Judas and the Black Messiah, Malcolm and Marie, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. There are still many out there that are on my shame list and I need to make sure I make the time to watch. Black stories are important and we should be watching them more than just one time a month. 

Also make sure to find other ways to celebrate the month. Read books on Black history and by Black writers, donate to Black charities, and support Black businesses!