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Image Credit: Shenandoah University
February is Black History Month and a great way to celebrate Black History Month is by watching films that tell the stories of Black history and culture. It’s hard to cover the entire Black experience with just one film so it is ideal to watch a handful of films to gain a holistic impression of Black history in cinema. Thankfully, there are a growing number of films told from the Black perspective that retell a variety of experiences. Some more recent films that cover a range of themes include: “Woman King”, “BlacKkKlansman”, “The Hate U Give”, and “Hidden Figures”.
The timeliest of the films, “Woman King” (2022), tells the story of a 6,000-person all-female militia that fought for the African Kingdom of Dahomey during the early 19th century. Oscar winner Viola Davis (The First Lady, The Help) plays the lead role as General Nanisca in this tale of ancient warriors. In this next film, Golden Globe award nominee and son of Oscar winner Denzel Washington, John David Washington, plays Ron Stallworth in the “BlacKkKlansman” (2018). Based on a true story, “BlaKkKlansman” follows African American detective Stallworth who was able to gain access to the Colorado Springs K.K.K during the late 1970s by sending a white proxy played by Adam Driver (House of Gucci, Marriage Story).
The 2018 book to film “The Hate U Give” directed by George Tillman Jr. is one that speaks on gun violence and racism experienced by the Black community as well as giving a nod to the arts and culture surrounding the era of early hip-hop. “The Hate U Give” Amandla Stenberg (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) plays Starr Carter, a teenage girl who witnesses her childhood best friend being shot and killed by police. “Hidden Figures” is a story of historic Black success. This 2016 film unveils the brains behind many of NASA’s missions and computing in the late 20th century. Known as the West Computers, Taraji P. Henson (The Karate Kid, Empire), Oscar nominee Octavia Spencer (The Help, Self Made), and Grammy nominee Janelle Monae (Moonlight) play some of the first Black and female mathematicians and engineers to work for NASA during the 1960s.
It would be safe to say that anyone looking to brush up on their Black history as well as their Black culture would be served well by watching these four films as they cover a range of time-periods and subjects that feature talented and well-respected actors.
