6 Movies and Series Based on Real Life Events to Watch for Black History Month
Though February is Black History Month, there are ample opportunities to learn about Black History through narrative film and television 365 days of the year.
Black directors, actors and stories remain underrepresented in the industry, but this month, we invite you to put content representing the Black experience at the top of your watch list. We’ve put together a must-watch program, including stories that detail pivotal moments throughout history and eye-opening accounts of injustices and perseverance, against all odds.
Check out our recommended movies and series to watch this Black History month, and the streaming platforms you can find them on.
Emancipation
Starring Will Smith as Peter, this powerful movie is based on the true account of a Black man who was sent to work on a plantation in Louisiana. In 1863, he escaped the 3,000 acre plantation after many days of being followed by the “overseer” (a middle-man who oversees the management of enslaved labourers), surviving the deadly and bacteria-ridden swamps of the area. He miraculously reaches his destination—the Union Soldiers in Baton Rouge—and bravely joins other “free” Black soldiers in the fight.
Brutal depictions of slavery abound in the film, calling back to the real-life Peter’s whipping scars and the worldwide attention their photos gained. As shown in the film, it’s one of the catalysts for US President Abraham Lincoln’s abolishment of slavery, declared in 1865.
As Smith aptly iterates in an episode of Red Table Talks (a video-podcast series hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith exploring global, societal, and pop culture issues), this isn’t another movie about slavery—it’s about freedom of self, even in the darkest moments.
Where to Watch: Apple+ TV
BlacKkKlansman
Directed by Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman is about an African-American undercover detective from Colorado Springs and his infiltration into the Klu Klux Klan in the late 1970s. Based on the novel of the same name, the story follows Ron Stallworth (the charismatic John David Washington) as he cleverly poses as a KKK recruit over the phone. Meanwhile, he has another undercover officer (Adam Driver) meet with the Klan in person.
Subverting the klan’s suspicions, Stallworth’s efforts lead to building rapport with the head of the white supremacist organization, David Duke (Topher Grace). The investigation enabled the police to be aware of the KKK’s illegal activities, successfully stripping two members of their NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) titles.
Where to Watch: YouTube, Amazon Prime
The Woman King
The Woman King has had a controversial opening, despite the many accolades lead Viola Davis has earned for her role in the film. Written by two white women (Dana Stevens and Maria Bello), the story is based on a historical tale told through the “colonizer’s point of view”.
It revolves around the Kingdom of Dahomey, targeted by the European slave trade in 1823, and its involvement in the sale of its own people. The Agojie women warrior tribe fight to overcome the system and stop the slave trade from continuing.
There’s a loose proximity to the actual events that took place in history. In reality, the Agojie tribe has a complicated relationship with the slave trade as they both fight it, and are complicit within it, due to King Ghezo of Dahomey’s participation for slavery as revenue. This is not explored in the film
However, it’s still cinematically glorious with a lot of heart. The protagonist Nanisca, played phenomenally by Viola Davis, leads the women fearlessly.
Where to Watch: Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime, Apple+ TV, YouTube
When They See Us
This harrowing mini-series on Netflix follows the true life events of five Latino and Black teenagers in Harlem, known as “The Central Park Five,” who are wrongfully on trial for the brutal attack of a woman in Central Park. Directed by the supremely talented and award-winning Ava DuVernay, this is a look into the coercion strategies of the NYPD (New York Police Department) and a justice system that uses racism and “frenzy” tactics rather than facts and a thorough investigation to make its decisions.
The series follows the lives of the teenagers from trial to adulthood in the tragic aftermath of the jury’s guilty verdict. There’s the option to learn more by watching Oprah Winfrey Presents: When They See Us Now (also on Netflix) where the now-exonerated men share their experiences.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Farming
This autobiographical feature by writer and director, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, is a look at 1960s-1980s Britain, when thousands of Nigerian children were “Farmed” out to white, working class families in the U.K. The context of “Farming” is that of Nigerian immigrants in the U.K. who would temporarily give their children to white foster families, sending money for a child’s keep while they studied to create a better life.
Damson Idris who plays out Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s story is captivating in his emotional portrayal of the protagonist, who struggles with his identity as a Black man in a white world. The film delves into his involvement with a racist, skinhead gang “Tilbury Skins” who assault him and then later allow him to join them—if only as a weaponizing tool in causing mistreatment to other Black people and partaking in violent acts.
It’s a well-made and heavy film, depicting the complex power dynamics of trying to survive in a world that is built against you.
Where to Watch: YouTube
The Porter
The Porter—produced and directed by an all-Black creative team, from creators to hair and make-up folks—is about the first Black union in North America.
“Order of the Sleeping Car Porters” was a union created for porters, the only job available to Black folks in the rail services in the 1920s.
The Porter is an educational onscreen series with a stylish twist, exploring Black Canadian history more closely, and examining the societal discrimination and strict police policies that took place in the not-too-distant past.
Where to Watch: CBC Gem
