Within the last century, Black cinema has allowed African American and other Black creatives to showcase their stories of hardship and of joy to broad audiences. From “race films” in the 1910s, Blaxploitation films of the 1970s and movies with more contemporary themes, Black cinematic storytelling has evolved greatly. Here are some films that have shaped Black film history.
“A Raisin in the Sun” (1961)
“A Raisin in the Sun” is a 1961 film adaptation of the boundary-breaking play by Lorraine Hansberry. The production concerns the conflict within a Black family dreaming of a better financial future situation. The arrival of an insurance check after the passing of the patriarch ignites familial, social and economic drama.
The play from which the film was adapted from was the first theatrical work by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway. The film is preserved in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress’s conservation center.
“The Wiz” (1978)
Another play-to-film adaptation, “The Wiz” is a contemporary Black musical retelling of Hollywood classic “The Wizard of Oz.” It stars musical powerhouses Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Even though the film did not fare well at the box office, it brought a highly decorated and critically acclaimed Broadway production to the silver screen and remains as a household staple.
“The Color Purple” (1985), (2023)
Both versions of “The Color Purple” are magnificent, so they both deserve a place on this list. They are both adaptations of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.The story revolves around Celie and recounts 30 years of her life beginning at the age of 14.
The 1985 version stars Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfery and was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. Jointly adapted from the novel and the 2005 Broadway musical, the 2023 musical film stars R&B powerhouse Fantasia Barrino as well as Taraji P. Henson and Halle Bailey. Across all of its adaptations, the story has been widely praised for its themes of female solidarity and the intersection of racism and sexism and religion and spirituality.
“Do the Right Thing” (1989)
Considered one of the greatest films of all time by many critics, “Do the Right Thing” tells a story about the residents of New York City’s Bedford-Stuyvesant — a predominantly African American neighborhood — and the racial issues that arise between them and the Italian-American owners of a local pizzeria. The movie is directed, written and produced by Black auteur Spike Lee, who also stars in the film.
“Do the Right Thing” shows the mundanity of a Black individual’s life throughout the film until the end, in which there is a display of police brutality that ends in tragedy. The film was also preserved by the National Film Registry.
“The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
On a lighter note, Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” is a heartwarming animated film. Featuring Disney’s first Black princess, the movie serves as a wonderful piece of representation in children’s media, affirming to young Black girls that they can be princesses, too.
“Moonlight” (2016)
“Moonlight” chronicles the life of protagonist Chiron in three stages — childhood, adolescence and adulthood, delving into his struggles with masculinity and accepting his homosexuality as a Black male.
The film won numerous accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. “Moonlight” has been praised for its honest, naturalistic performances and its highlighting of the toxicity of Black masculinity when it comes to showing any signs of queerness and vulnerability.
“The Hate U Give” (2018)
“The Hate U Give” is a coming-of-age film that follows teenager Starr Carter as she reckons with witnessing the murder of her childhood friend as a result of police brutality. Based on the Angie Thomas novel of the same name, “The Hate U Give” features portrayals of survivor’s guilt, PTSD, code-switching and activism for the Black Lives Matter movement. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Sabrina Carpenter, KJ Apa and Issa Rae.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018)
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the first installment of the Spider-Verse trilogy, is included on this list for the amazing feat of having a Black main character in a movie without any of his struggles coming from his race. The film features the first Black Spider-Man, Miles Morales.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” became the first Marvel superhero film to win an Oscar, before “Black Panther” won in its respective categories the same year. It utilizes a combination of 2D and CGI animation styles, which was viewed as revolutionary, and has stylistically influenced other large animation projects, like “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”
