The following is a guest post from Helen Back of KillTheCableBill.com.
Talking and reading about Black history is one thing, but it doesn’t always drive the point home. Movies, shows, and documentaries, however, bring that history to life.
Visual media can help students grasp a greater understanding of how things feel for Black people, which is often more persuasive than logical argumentation.
This list can help teachers who are looking for teaching inspiration, visual resources for students, or simply a good movie to watch.
Harriet (2019)
Genre: Biographical drama, history, action
Creators: Kasi Lemmons, Gregory Allen Howard, Debra Martin Chase
Actors: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monae, Clarke Peters, Joe Alwyn
After fleeing from a slave plantation in Maryland in 1849, Harriet Tubman risked her life to help other enslaved people do the same. Through Harriet, viewers can visualize and experience the adventure and danger of a true hero.
As a film, Harriet is an outstanding educational resource. It shows Harriet Tubman’s harrowing journeys back and forth between the freedom of Philadelphia and Maryland where her loved ones are held captive. It presents accurate details of the period and is based largely on Tubman’s own accounts.
Where to Watch: Hulu
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Genre: Drama, romance
Creators: Barry Jenkins
Actors: Stephen James, KiKi Layne, Colman Domingo, Regina King, Teyonah Parris
Lifelong friends Tish and Fonny become romantically involved as adults. Though it was difficult for Black people to find rentals in the 1970s, they searched until they found the perfect place. Life seemed to be on the right track — until Fonny is wrongly convicted of a crime. Now this young couple must fight the odds to have a life together.
If Beale Street Could Talk is a depiction of the 1974 novel written by James Baldwin. Baldwin’s work revolved around his observations of sexual, racial, and class-based tension throughout his life. The film portrays many of these struggles to give an accurate depiction of life at that time.
Where to Watch: Hulu
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
Genre: Historical drama
Creators: John Korty
Actors: Cicely Tyson, Odetta, Teddy Airhart, Richard A. Dysart, Josephine Premice
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is the dramatic telling of a former enslaved person’s story. The film depicts her life from age 23 to 110, from slavery to sharecropping and more.
The film is based on a novel written by Ernest J. Gaines. While the main character is fictional, Gaines wrote the story around actual events that occurred during the American Civil War and the civil rights movement of the 20th century. It is a compelling story that gives a realistic glimpse into Black people's lives and daily struggles during those times.
Where to Watch: Hulu
The Tuskegee Airmen (1995)
Genre: Historical drama, war
Creators: Robert Markowitz
Actors: Cuba Gooding Jr, Laurence Fishburne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, John Lithgow
As an experiment in World War II, the Air Corps wanted to see if Black men could fly as well as white men. Amid a huge racial divide, the Tuskegee Airmen fought against all odds to become the first African-American pilots in the United States military.
The film is based largely on historical facts about these great men and their bravery. The movie presents many racial issues within US history as a whole.
Where to Watch: Hulu
I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Genre: Documentary
Creators: Raoul Peck
Actors: Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson
This documentary explores Black history with segments that include Martin Luther King Jr., Medgar Evers, and Malcolm X. It also addresses the representation of Black people in Hollywood as well as in other areas.
I Am Not Your Negro is based on writer James Baldwin’s unfinished book Remember This House. It shares his observations and experiences of Black history in America.
Where to Watch: Hulu
Summary
Now more than ever, it’s important to understand the Black experience in America. These movies, if well-curated for your classroom, provide an opportunity to immerse students in history that no other media can provide. These five films depict factual events, incredible actors, and can provide the basis for in-depth class discussions.
Helen Back is the Outreach Manager for KillTheCableBill.com. Helen loves to help people rid themselves of the high costs of cable and satellite TV, through writing about simple cost effective alternatives to cable TV.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Justin Grays. Any content provided by the author is of their opinion and has not been verified by Justin Grays.