BHM: Where to Watch Iconic TV Series, Movies That Tell The Black Story

We’re starting at the beginning with Nikole Hannah-Jones’ fantastic docuseries chronicling the lasting effects of slavery. No matter how some people feel, you can’t tell the story of America without talking about Black people.

You can’t talk about Black History without discussing “Roots.” The groundbreaking miniseries was the first time white audiences had to confront the horrors of slavery. It broke viewing records and changed the way TV is produced and presented. It stands as a seminal moment in the entertainment industry.

In 2016, A+E Networks decided to remake a classic for modern audiences. It was mostly well-received, but it’s extremely hard to break out of the shadow of a literal game-changer. It’s definitely worth revisiting, but it will never quite have the impact of the original.

“Underground” starts as an escape story, then evolves into a hero’s journey for Jurnee Smollett’s Rosalee and Aldis Hodge’s Noah. From the moment the series begins, it’s compelling and can’t miss. It’s a shame it only lasted two seasons.

Though it also follows a Black woman as she makes her way to freedom via the Underground Railroad, the critically acclaimed series really makes viewers feel the emotional toll constantly running took on Black people. Yes, there were brief moments of celebration, but there was never time to relax and truly live life.

We all know that food is an essential part of the Black experience. “High on the Hog” brilliantly examines the impact of food on our history and culture. Warning: Once you start the first episode, you will not be able to stop yourself from bingeing.

This limited series follows Mamie Till-Mobley as she fights to get justice for her murdered son Emmett Till. It’s not easy to watch, but it’s still so heartbreakingly relevant. These are the stories we can never forget, because there was no justice or closure. It also showcases how women were truly the heart and soul of the civil rights movement.

The classics are always the best versions of these stories. The characters shine through without extraneous aspects of the production distracting from them.

This fascinating documentary focuses on the racist stereotypes and tropes that were created to keep Black people down. It creatively uses animation to display how these lies were told and spread.

As Essence magazine celebrates its 50th anniversary, this docuseries chronicles its rise, fall and rise again. It tells the whole story, good, bad and ugly. This was thee magazine for Black women and you can’t explore Black history without it.

Questlove’s Oscar-winning documentary showcases the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a piece of our history that was thought to be lost. The musician gives these legends the opportunity to finally be recognized for the spectacular performances they delivered at the event.

The descendants of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship, fight to protect their Africatown community in Alabama from being overrun by industry.

Due to his sexuality, Bayard Rustin has never received the credit he deserves for being a driving force in the civil rights movement and March on Washington. With a tour de force, Oscar-nominated performance, Colman Domingo gives Rustin his long overdue flowers and starts a conversation about unknown Black LGBTQ+ heroes.

The groundbreaking PBS docuseries chronicled the many long battles of Black people, starting with the civil rights movement and running through the mid-1980s. It centered Black history in a way that no documentary had done before. Despite the fact that it originally aired in 1987, it still stands as one of the best projects to center Black history.

Rosa Parks was so much more than the woman who started the bus boycott, and this documentary dives into who she really was beyond that seminal moment.