While Hollywood has dreamed up some of the most interesting and unique stories we’ve ever seen, it’s always been the ones based on true life that captivate us the most. It’s why biopics are such a popular genre. For Black audiences, movies and TV series are often the best way for us to have our history presented to mainstream audiences. These fictionalized versions of true stories often take liberties with certain aspects of the real events, but when done properly they can be a good gateway to historical events. To that end, we’re exploring some of Hollywood’s most interesting Black movies and TV series that were inspired by true stories.
Suggested Reading
‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist’
In 1970, Muhammad Ali made his big boxing comeback at a highly publicized fight in Atlanta. That same night, Gordon “Chicken Man” Williams was tasked with throwing a Vegas-style party for some of the most notable Black crime figures in the country, including “Black Godfather” Frank Moten. When the part was robbed, Chicken Man was blamed and all hell broke loose. It’s a truly wild story and the podcast is fascinating, which made us anticipate the limited series.
‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist’
Peacock put together the most star-studded cast possible for this project. Kevin Hart once again showed off his dramatic chops as the Chicken Man, Samuel L. Jackson loomed large as Frank Moten, while Taraji P. Henson, Lori Harvey, Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle all co-starred.
‘Selma’
The Oscar nominated film “Selma” chronicles the fight for Black citizens’ right to vote, centering on the marches from Selma to Montgomery. It’s a critical moment in the fight for voting rights, as the scenes from “Bloody Sunday” showed exactly what Black people were up against.
‘Selma’
David Oyelowo, who plays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. previously told The Root he was honored that film was such a historical touchstone viewers. However, he also wants us to keep the real stories behind movies like this at the forefront of the conversation.
“You could argue that our history shouldn’t be gained from movies and TV shows,” he said. “But if that’s the way we’re going to get it, if that’s going to be the jump off for other people to go and find out more, or at least have a context for who these heroes of ours are, then I just feel incredibly proud to be in some way a drop in the ocean of that.”
Fred Hampton
“Judas and the Black Messiah” follows the FBI’s investigation of Chicago Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. The film showcases the man behind the legend and how law enforcement agencies were intimidated by the idea of Black people uniting for the common goal of freedom. It’s a period of our history that isn’t covered in textbooks and regular history classes.
‘Judas and the Black Messiah’
Daniel Kaluuya won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Hampton. The film is an interesting gateway into a larger story that many viewers may be unfamiliar with. This is one of those movies that really will help audiences go out and find the real story.
Tulsa Race Massacre
The destruction of Black Wall Street is one of the most devastating moments in Black history. Unfortunately, it’s also an event that has gone largely untold outside of Black communities. White supremacists didn’t just massacre Black people for having the audacity to be successful, they literally dropped bombs from planes and set the neighborhood on fire to make sure that they wouldn’t be able to recover from the attack. What’s truly maddening is that over 100 years later, the government is still refusing to grant survivors and families of victims reparations for those tragic events.
‘Watchmen’ Episode 1
When the highly-anticipated 2019 HBO superhero drama “Watchmen” opened the series with an intense depiction of the Tulsa Race Massacre, viewers were shocked. Black fans couldn’t believe that they were actually showing the true heartbreak and devastation of the attack, while white audiences were discovering the this was in fact a real thing that happened in America. The Tulsa Race Massacre and Black Wall Street trended for days on social media as word of the scene got around. It opened a door to similar tragedies throughout history, with some people finally getting a glimpse at how emotionally exhausting it’s been for Black Americans.
‘Hidden Figures’
We know how amazing Black women are, but the rest of the world frequently needs to be reminded. Finding out that Black women were one of the major driving forces behind the United States’ space program was an eye-opening experience for a lot of people. Black folks may not have known all their names, but we definitely knew they were there, behind the scenes, doing the work no one else wanted, and not getting the credit they deserved.
‘Hidden Figures’
We’re not going to pretend that there aren’t some eye-rolling scenese of white savior heroics. However, it’s always inspiring to see how Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae give their characters dignity and class in the face of theunrelenting racism they face. We also love that this film forced NASA to give Katherine Johnson her flowers for being an essential part of America’s journey to space.
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson wasn’t just the man who integrated Major League Baseball, he set the tone for all sports to become integrated. He literally changed the course of history and we’re not sure there’s an honor big enough to recognize the impact of his legacy. There’s a reason MLB continues to honor him every year. He’s not just a sports legend, he’s an American legend.
‘42’
Finding someone who could balance the immeasurable pressure Jackie Robinson was under, with the physicality of portraying his baseball skills, as well as teasing how important he would be in the future. Chadwick Boseman did all this and more, once again showcasing one of the greats of Black history, cementing his own legacy as someone who spent his career celebrating Black culture and history.
Malcolm X
Malcolm X is a complicated figure, so a film about his life was always going to be a big task. How do you take everything he did for Black people, all that he inspired and condense it into a movie? The answer is Denzel Washington and Spike Lee. Of all the films on the list, this is probably the one people watch instead of a documentary, because the work they did is just so damn good. As fantastic as it is, you should still use it as a jumping off point into other projects and not your main source of information.
‘Malcolm X’
When you’re chronicling the life of a towering figure like Malcolm X, it’s usually difficult to know where to put the focus. In the hands of director Spike Lee, we never needed to worry, because he managed to chronicle the civil rights icon’s entire life without making it feel long and drawn out. And really, what can we say about Denzel Washington at this point? His performance is a brilliant masterclass that’s taught to aspiring actors.
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