Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, in the ’70s, a kid had few choices for recreation and none of them involved a video game or cell phone. There was no internet or iPad, only real-life physical experiences. Our options were street games like basketball, stickball, tag, etc., or going to the movies.
Ah, the movies…Once a week Mom would give us $2 to go to the Cameo Theatre to see a movie. The African American movie screen was exploding with hardcore stories of racial injustice, revolution, Black action heroes, and plenty of cussing and nudity. Some would call it the Blaxploitation era. A far cry from the more subtle approaches to the African American dilemma like “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” or “To Sir With Love. “
I grew to love Black cinema through my Uncle Victor who lived in Harlem. He would pick up me and my brother in Brooklyn and we would ride the A train to Harlem to watch a movie of his choice. He had a couple of strict rules for watching movies with him that I follow to this day: use the bathroom before the movie starts and shut up and watch the movie. After a few swift smacks to the head for violation of said rules, we eventually grew to appreciate storylines, characters, and meaning.
I believe a classic movie has you leaving the theater in wonder, feeling emotionally touched, filled with laughter, and/or sadness, or connecting with a character. As a Black history buff, I can understand why people may have never seen these cinematic gems. The images and characters are simply too powerful and morally upright. They often fight against a flawed and racist system. That’s why some movies get played on the networks repeatedly while some don’t get played at all.
Related content: Film and TV viewing to celebrate Black History Month
So here, in no particular order, is my list of must-see movies for Black History Month, or any other month for that matter. God bless you if you can get the original versions or find them anywhere. Some are scarce for a reason. For more on Black cinema, visit blackfilmarchive.com.
Top 25 Movies for Black History Month
- Cabin in the Sky – 1943
- Great White Hope – 1970
- Emperor Jones – 1933
- Imitation of Life – 1959
- A Raisin in the Sun – 1961
- Claudine – 1974
- Cornbread Earl and Me -1975
- Black Caesar – 1973
- Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song – 1971
- Mandingo – 1975
- The Spook Who Sat by the Door – 1973
- Do the Right Thing – 1989
- Glory – 1989
- Keep the Faith, Baby – 2002
- Ray – 2004
- What’s Love Got to Do with It – 1993
- School Daze – 1988
- Django Unchained – 2012
- Hollywood Shuffle – 1987
- Judas and the Black Messiah – 2021
- Malcolm X – 1992
- Sankofa – 1993
- Let’s Do it Again – 1975
- A Soldier’s Story – 1984
- I Am Not Your Negro – 2016
Here’s a bonus movie for the super intellectual African American cinephiles: “Exterminate All the Brutes,” a documentary directed by Raoul Peck who also directed “I am Not Your Negro” and grew up in Brooklyn. Coincidentally, we attended the same elementary school in Crown Heights.
Did I miss your pick? Add it in the comments.
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