By Sheyla Fairley
Every February, people honor the contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout the ages as part of Black History Month. This February I will share a collection of twenty-five movies that I have watched and enjoyed; each featuring African Americans in starring roles. I will share them in groups of four. Some of the movies are biographical, others were inspired by real-life events, and then there are regular films featuring Black leads with well-known actors. There’s a trailer for you to preview each movie. A link is provided to watch the movie online. Some are free, others may require a subscription or payment. Pop some popcorn and pick a flick that suits your mood. I hope you enjoy this different twist in observing Black History.
The Rosa Parks Story (2002 film)
Free:
Recalls the life and actions Rosa Parks took during the civil rights movement which prompted the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott.
Starring: Angela Bassett, Peter Francis James, Cicely Tyson, & Dexter King
Just Mercy (2019 film)
Subscribe or Buy/Rent:
Free:
Chronicles the true story of civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson’s attempts to free a wrongly condemned man on death row.
Starring: Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx
Roll Bounce (2005 film)
Subscribe or Buy/Rent:
Free:
After their local roller rink closes down, a teenager, struggling with the loss of his mother, and his friends head over to the Sweetwater Roller Rink and decide to enter the skating-off in order to earn the respect of the reigning champions there.
Starring: Bow Wow, Chi McBride, Meagan Good, & Jurnee Smollett
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974 film)
Subscribe or Buy/Rent:
Free:
Based on the novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines, 110-year-old former slave Jane Pittman recounts the story of her life to a journalist amidst the early 1960s.
Starring: Cicely Tyson, Odetta, Rod Perry, Thalmus Rasulala, & Arnold Wilkerson
