12 movies to watch about the black experience in America - TODAYShow
Starring Denzel Washington as the coach of the Wiley College debate team, this inspiring film shows what life was like for black Americans living in the South during the Jim Crow era.At 16, Kalief Browder was accused of stealing a backpack and was held in prison for three years, from 2010 to 2013, without trial because his family was unable to pay his bail.
Browder was finally released when it was determined that his accuser had left the country and the charges would be dropped. Browder struggled with depression during his time in prison and died by suicide two years after being released. While this recommendation is a miniseries rather than a standalone film, its heartbreaking story is worth watching in full.This Oscar-winning pick recounts the journey of Solomon Northup, a violinist who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., sold into slavery in Louisiana and eventually found and freed to return back to his family.Directed by Ava DuVernay, this film chronicles the 1965 voting rights marches that started in Selma, Alabama. In an election year, it's especially poignant to watch.Now streaming on: Hulu, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Apple TV "Hidden Figures" shares the story of three black women mathematicians who worked at NASA during the space race in the 1960s. While their contributions are critical to the success of the organization's work, they still had to face the struggles of segregation.Set in the early 19th century, this film is based on the life of Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in Virginia and was subsequently hanged for his actions. The epic tale shows just what lengths slaves had to go to in the pursuit of freedom.This HBO documentary delves into the last year of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. Released just before the 50th anniversary of his assassination, the film includes never-before-seen footage that gives a glimpse into the mind of the civil rights icon before his death.The most recent release on the list,"Just Mercy" tells the story of Harvard Law School graduate Bryan Stevenson as he sets out to overturn the wrongful conviction of a man who was accused of murder based on the unreliable testimony. The courtroom drama is as compelling as it is moving, and the real-life heroes are still fighting against injustice today.This four-part miniseries debuted on Netflix last year to critical acclaim. It explores the 1989 case in which five teenagers were falsely accused of assaulting a female jogger in Central Park and the impact it had on the families of the men who were accused.Another piece directed by DuVernay, this documentary exposes injustice within the prison-industrial complex and explores how mass incarceration has become another way to enslave the black community in America.
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