Cinema is 127 years old, and throughout its history, there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of great flicks. Many great films of the modern era feature actors like Will Smith, Denzel Washington, and the beloved Samuel L. Jackson. It’s easy to take for granted that those actors, among many, others, are African-Americans who are part of black history; a long story of struggle and perseverance.
When movies began, circa 1890, African-Americans had only been allowed to vote for 15 years. In 1906, when The Kelley Gang became the first feature-length film, poll taxes and literacy tests kept most poor, primarily black citizens from voting. In the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance exposed black culture like never before while sound revolutionized film. The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s was the first time the struggle of African-Americans would be broadcast to a television audience en mass. In 1966, the first interracial kiss occurred on camera during an episode of Star Trek.
During the 70s, 80s, and 90s, hip-hop, Eddie Murphy, and Will Smith among so many others changed the mainstream for the better. But while there’s a long way to go for true equality in America, stories of black history will carry on to remind people of how long a fight it’s been.
This week in Black History Month we look at ten films about Black History from the last 17 years.
1. Ali – 2001
Big Willy is a truly phenomenal actor when he’s not doing his typical action movie schtick. In Ali, he plays the G.O.A.T. (there can be only one), Muhammed Ali. Directed by Michael Mann, the film is a tour de force for Will Smith who received an Oscar nomination. Where many movies about Ali focus on the bombastic persona, Mann takes a more grounded approach. Ali delves into the boxer’s conversion to Islam, outspoken political nature, and his years-long ban from the ring.
