The Last Dragon - The Final Fight

Listen, kids. All you need to know is when someone asks, “Who’s the master?” you respond with “Sho’nuff!”

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3 / 14

Friday - Amazon

Friday - Amazon

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Screenshot: Friday

The first film in the Friday trilogy is a fun, authentic, day in the life story of two friends. It’s also endlessly quotable and is always entertaining.

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4 / 14

Buck and the Preacher - Amazon

Buck and the Preacher - Amazon

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Photo: John Springer Collection/CORBIS/Corbis (Getty Images)

I love Sidney Poiter’s work so much. Almost everything he did was an artistic triumph. However, my absolute favorite Sidney Poitier is cowboy Sidney Poitier. He brings a class and dignity to the western genre that no one else could even approach.

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5 / 14

The Princess and the Frog - Disney+

The Princess and the Frog - Disney+

Anika Noni Rose - Almost There (From “The Princess and the Frog”)

Anika Noni Rose isn’t a role model because she voiced the first Black Disney princess, she’s a role model because of how she keeps Tiana in the conversation. She makes sure that everyone puts some respect on our princess’ name.

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6 / 14

Foxy Brown - Amazon

Foxy Brown - Amazon

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Photo: John Lamparski (Getty Images)

Pam Grier gave generations of Black women an iconic hero to look up to. In a world where Black women are constantly undervalued, we can always ask ourselves WWFBD: “What would Foxy Brown do?”

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7 / 14

Malcolm X - Amazon

Malcolm X - Amazon

Malcolm X, Hospital Scene

I will go to my grave arguing that Denzel Washington was robbed at the Oscars. With all due respect to Al Pacino, we all know his performance in Scent of a Woman was not better than what Denzel did here. Every time I watch Malcolm X, I discover a new brilliant moment to admire.

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8 / 14

Imitation of Life - Amazon

Imitation of Life - Amazon

IMITATION OF LIFE funeral

If you don’t get teary—or at least a little emotional—at this 1959 drama where a young Black girl rejects her mother’s love and spends her life passing as white, then you’re clearly a robot.

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9 / 14

Do the Right Thing - Prime Video

Do the Right Thing - Prime Video

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Photo: Ming Yeung (Getty Images)

This Spike Lee classic literally changed the landscape of filmmaking. It inspired a generation of writers and directors, both Black and white, to tell fresh, authentic new stories. Everyone from John Singleton, to Quentin Tarantino has cited the film as essential to their careers.

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10 / 14

Sounder - Peacock

Sounder - Peacock

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Photo: Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection (Getty Images)

I know it’s easy to choose new releases on family movie night, but if your kids haven’t seen Sounder, the 1972 classic should definitely be in the rotation. It teaches them about resilience, self-belief and of course, the importance of family.

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11 / 14

The Greatest - Amazon

The Greatest - Amazon

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Photo: R. McPhedran/Daily Express/Hulton Archive (Getty Images)

Only Muhammad Ali could play himself in a biopic and everyone just accepts it, because of course, he did. The man invented swag before it was a thing.

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12 / 14

What’s Love Got to Do with It - Amazon

What’s Love Got to Do with It - Amazon

Whats Love Got To Do With It (1993) ANGELA BASSETT as TINA TURNER- PROUD MARY

Angela Bassett gives one of the greatest performances in film history as the legendary Tina Turner. There is not a single scene where we don’t feel how much pain the singer is in. The true beauty of it is that she doesn’t necessarily need to yell and scream to convey it. Most of the time she does it with a small movement or a quick glance.

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13 / 14

Waiting to Exhale - Amazon

Waiting to Exhale - Amazon

Image for article titled Here’s Where to Stream Essential Black Movies
Screenshot: Waiting to Exhale

Every Black woman who’s ever been wronged by a man has a special attachment to Waiting to Exhale. Guys, if you ever walk in a room and see a Black woman watching this movie or listening to the soundtrack, just turn around and walk away.

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