Movies for Black History Month
Posted on February 18, 2014 at 8:00 am
Every family should observe Black History Month and movies like these are a good way to begin discussions and further study.
1. “Glory” The true story of the US Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of their own Union army and battling the Confederates, with brilliant performances by Denzel Washington (who won an Oscar), Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick as the white officer who truly believed all men were equal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWGt9Yr2bCw2. “Something the Lord Made” The obstacles to education and professional advancement kept Vivien Thomas (Mos Def) from medical school, but he was a pioneer in heart surgery.
3. “Roots” Writer Alex Haley told the story of his own family going back to the capture of one of his ancestors from Africa to be sold into slavery in this historic miniseries.
4. “Amistad” A slave rebellion led to an historic Supreme Court case that addressed fundamental notions of personhood and inalienable rights.
5. “With All Deliberate Speed” This documentary about the Brown v. Board of Education case that transformed American schools and culture has interviews with lawyer Thurgood Marshall (who later became the first black Supreme Court justice) and others involved in the case.
6. “Malcolm X” Denzel Washington is mesmerizing in this story of the incendiary leader and his journey from complacency to activism to understanding.
7. “Eyes on the Prize” This PBS documentary covers the Civil Rights movement from the murder of Emmett Till to the march in Selma. There is also an excellent sequel.
8. “The Rosa Parks Story” Angela Bassett stars as the Civil Rights activist whose refusal to give up her seat on the bus electrified the nation.
9. “The Loving Story” The name of this history-making couple was really Loving. Their inter-racial marriage led the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the laws against miscegenation in 1967.
10. “A Great Day in Harlem” This documentary tells the story of photographer Art Kane’s 1958 iconic photograph of all of the great jazz musicians of the era.
Washington’s breakthrough was on this critically acclaimed series set in an inner city hospital.
Washington won his first Oscar for this Civil War story about the all-black soldiers fighting for the Union.
Tom Hanks won an Oscar for this real-life inspired story of a lawyer fired because he had AIDS, but Washington matches him every step of the way as his attorney, who has to confront some of his own prejudices.
Washington has done some of his best work with director Spike Lee. Here he plays a jazz musician who gets caught up in the problems of a friend and has to deal with the consequences of some poor choices and lack of consideration.
Again working with Lee, Washington stars in one of my favorite movies of the last decade, playing a detective on the trail of a mysterious bank robbery.
Washington produced and directed this film based on the real-life story of the title character, a troubled sailor with a painful past.
Washington is a cop again in this underrated thriller with some nifty twists.
A rare Washington romantic role, here he plays an American who falls for the daughter of an immigrant family originally from Pakistan and then from Africa.
Two of Washington’s most complex, layered, and powerful performances were real-life characters, Hurricane Carter in “Hurricane” and here as Malcolm X.