Black History Month is celebrated in February in the United States (and October in the United Kingdom). It is a special month that celebrates the people and events that shaped the history of Black people in the country. There are several ways to celebrate Black History Month, and two of the best ways to learn more about these important people and events are by reading books and watching movies that tell their poignant stories. This is even more important for kids, as they can mix entertainment and education to learn about history and be inspired to greatness.
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However, this can present a challenge. Some movies that depict significant events in Black history may be too mature for younger kids. 12 Years a Slave focuses on a very important subject and an integral point in Black history, but features incredibly disturbing subject matter. Other movies might be great for high schoolers, but are a little too violent or explicit for younger kids. We looked at movies that could be great for students, some for high school kids and others for younger elementary school students that will help teach them more about Black history.
You are watching: The 13 Best Black History Month Movies For Students, Including Harriet & Hidden Figures
13
Harriet (2019)
Rated PG-13 For Thematic Content Throughout, Violent Material And Language, Including Racial Epithets
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Harriet
PG-13
Biography
Drama
History
6/10
9/10
Release Date
November 1, 2019
Runtime
125 minutes
Director
Kasi Lemmons
Writers
Gregory Allen Howard, Kasi Lemmons
Cast
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-
Joe Alwyn
-
Tory Kittles
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Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist who helped rescue close to 70 enslaved people through the Underground Railroad while also serving as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army during the American Civil War. Released in 2017, Harriet tells the story of Tubman, with Cynthia Erivo (Wicked) fame taking on the role of the iconic figure in Black history. The film shows Harriet in an interesting light, as she has experienced visions or hallucinations ever since a head injury as a child but believes they are messages sent to her from God.
Harriet tells an important part of Black history during the American Civil War, and while some of the moments might be a little intense for younger kids, it is a great film for older elementary students and perfect for those in middle and high school to learn about the Underground Railroad and the fight that these brave individuals had to take on to find freedom. It is important that the kids watching this understand the idea of slavery because of the violence and racial slurs that play out in this story.
12
42 (2013)
Rated PG-13 For Thematic Elements Including Language
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42
PG-13
Biography
Documentary
Drama
Sport
Release Date
April 12, 2013
Runtime
128 minutes
Director
Brian Helgeland
Writers
Brian Helgeland
Cast
See All
-
Chadwick Boseman
-
Harrison Ford
-
Nicole Beharie
-
Christopher Meloni
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Before he took on the role of T’Challa, the Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the late Chadwick Boseman played a real-life Black hero in Jackie Robinson, the first Black athlete to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. This film tells the story of how the Brooklyn Dodgers set out to bring in Robinson with the agreement that he would show restraint when it comes to racial insults, which he has to overcome at almost every turn until he finally leads his Dodgers to the World Series.
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12 Most Successful Baseball Players Who Appeared In 42 (Besides Jackie Robinson)
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School is often where kids learn their love for sports, and Black students today have Jackie Robinson to thank for breaking down the color barriers in professional sports and opening the door for everyone to have a chance to achieve their dreams. The title of the movie refers to Robinson’s number in the Majors, and every year, all professional players wear his number on April 15 — a number that MLB has retired, and no player can ever wear again in honor of the Hall of Fame athlete.
11
Crooklyn (1994)
Rated PG-13 For Drug Content
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Crooklyn
PG-13
Comedy
Drama
Release Date
May 13, 1994
Runtime
115 minutes
Director
Spike Lee
Writers
Cinqué Lee
Producers
Jon Kilik
Cast
See All
-
Alfre Woodard
Carolyn Carmichael
-
Delroy Lindo
Woody Carmichael
-
David Patrick Kelly
Tony Eyes / Jim
-
Zelda Harris
Troy Carmichael
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When it comes to Black History Month, Spike Lee has an incredible list of movies that people can watch. However, most of his movies are not made for kids, with titles like Do the Right Thing, BlacKkKlansman, and Da 5 Bloods. However, one movie that is perfect for kids to watch from Lee’s filmography is Crooklyn. The movie follows a young girl named Troy Carmichael (Zelda Harris) and her family, of whom she learns lessons from her brothers and parents (Alfre Woodard and Delroy Lindo).
There are very few films that have a strong focus on young Black girls, and Crooklyn does this perfectly.
What really makes this movie such a perfect one for students to watch during Black History Month is that there are very few films that have a strong focus on young Black girls, and Crooklyn does this perfectly. This is because Troy’s story is a coming-of-age tale based on Spike Lee’s own sister, Joie Lee, who helped write the screenplay, and her experience growing up with her brothers in Brooklyn. This allows young Black girls a chance to see themselves in a movie in a positive and inspirational light.
10
A Ballerina’s Tale (2015)
Rated G For All Ages
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A Ballerina’s Tale
G
Documentary
Release Date
October 14, 2015
Runtime
85 minutes
Director
Nelson George
Cast
See All
-
Victoria Rowell
Herself
-
Misty Copeland
-
Bevy Smith
-
Raven Wilkinson
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When it comes to movies made for younger students to watch during Black History Month, A Ballerina’s Tale is perfect for even the smaller kids. This is a documentary from 2015 that follows Misty Copeland, a trailblazing ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Copeland is the first Black woman to work as a principal dancer in ABT’s 75-year history. Copeland had a tough time as she started dancing when she was 13 and became a prodigy before her mother and trainers began a battle for her custody.
The documentary shows footage from her childhood while also following her daily life as she makes her way to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House. This might be a documentary, but showing this young woman from her childhood makes it an inspirational story for young girls who have their own dreams of becoming a dancer — or just achieving their own dreams in whatever they want to do. It is short and inspirational and one of the best features for elementary-aged girls.
9
Hidden Figures (2016)
Rated PG For Thematic Elements And Some Language
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Hidden Figures
PG-13
Drama
8/10
9.3/10
Release Date
December 25, 2016
Runtime
127 Minutes
Director
Theodore Melfi
Writers
Theodore Melfi, Alison Schroeder
Cast
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Taraji P. Henson
-
Octavia Spencer
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There are lots of movies for kids to watch if they want an inspirational story about becoming a football or basketball player. However, there is also a movie for little kids who want to grow up to become scientists and make a difference in the world through STEM. Hidden Figures tells the story of three Black mathematicians who worked for NASA and helped develop the system that sent John Glenn into space. They did this despite being dismissed by even those they worked with.
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For kids in middle school and high school who have dreams of becoming a scientist and proving their worth at NASA, Hidden Figures is a great movie to watch. This celebrates three women who made a true difference in the world, and it is the main reason to celebrate Black History Month, as it is inspirational and motivational and shows the great work that people did despite enduring racial and gender discrimination, yet never letting it stop them.
8
Remember The Titans (2000)
Rated PG For Thematic Elements And Some Language
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Remember The Titans
PG
Sport
Biography
Drama
10/10
Release Date
September 29, 2000
Runtime
113 minutes
Director
Boaz Yakin
Writers
Gregory Allen Howard
Cast
See All
-
Ryan Hurst
-
Will Patton
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Released in 2000, Remember the Titans is an inspirational sports film about the real-life Herman Boone. In 1971, Herman Boone was hired to become the head coach of the T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. A Black high school football coach, he had a tough task as he was asked to integrate the school and faced scrutiny when he was named the head coach over the white Bill Yoast, who had a history at the school. Denzel Washington played Boone while Will Patton played Yoast.
This is a great film for students to watch to learn how things were in high school football when integration began and racism was still strong concerning holding back Black athletes and coaches. Washington, who starred in several quality Black History Month movies (The Hurricane, Glory, Malcolm X), was perfectly cast in this role and never downplayed the importance that his character played in not only making his own mark in the sport but also helping the students achieve their dreams as well.
7
Selma (2014)
Rated PG-13 For Disturbing Thematic Material Including Violence, A Suggestive Moment, And Brief Strong Language
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Selma
PG-13
History
Drama
Biography
9/10
6/10
Release Date
December 25, 2014
Runtime
128 Minutes
Director
Ava DuVernay
Writers
Paul Webb
Cast
See All
-
Tim Roth
-
Carmen Ejogo
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There are many movies that tell the story of the segregated South and the hate-filled violence that resulted due to mindless racism. Most of these are not suitable for younger kids but are great for teenagers to watch to better understand things that schools might not be properly teaching in class. However, one movie that remains an honest look at bad times, while maintaining a level that makes it suitable for students to watch with their parents is Selma.
Ava DuVernay directed this film about the voting rights marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, which were led by none other than Martin Luther King Jr. David Oyelowo stars as MLK in the movie, while Tom Wilkinson stars as U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. While some critics pointed out its historical inaccuracies, Selma was praised for its look at MLK, and it is a great Black History Month movie showing how far the country still remains from MLK’s dreams.
6
Akeelah And The Bee (2006)
Rated PG For Some Language
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Akeelah and the Bee
PG
Drama
Release Date
April 28, 2006
Runtime
112 Minutes
Director
Doug Atchison
Writers
Doug Atchison
Cast
See All
-
Keke Palmer
Akeelah Anderson
-
Laurence Fishburne
Dr. Larabee
-
Angela Bassett
Tanya Anderson
-
Curtis Armstrong
Mr. Welch
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Akeelah and the Bee is a drama film that follows an 11-year-old Black girl who takes part in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The entire idea behind the film is that this specific spelling bee is almost always between white students from wealthy backgrounds. This led writer/director Doug Atchison to want to create a story where a young Black girl from a poor upbringing had a chance to not only compete in the spelling bee, but win it. A 13-year-old Keke Palmer played Akeelah Anderson in the movie.
Akeelah and the Bee is about race and racism, poverty, and how the educational system has a habit of failing people who don’t come from privilege. It also takes on the ideas of community, friendship, empowerment, self-image, and sportsmanship, and these are all themes and topics that students should watch in their movies, especially when celebrating something as important as Black History Month. A purely inspirational story, this is a great movie for kids of all ages.
5
To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Unrated But Contains Difficult Themes And Some Language
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To Kill A Mockingbird
Approved
Crime
Drama
Release Date
December 25, 1962
Runtime
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129 minutes
Director
Robert Mulligan
Writers
Harper Lee, Horton Foote
Cast
See All
-
Gregory Peck
-
John Megna
-
Frank Overton
-
Rosemary Murphy
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One of the most famous socially conscious movies in classic cinema history, To Kill a Mockingbird remains one of cinema’s greatest stories. Based on the novel by Harper Lee and a script by Horton Foote, To Kill a Mockingbird tells the story of a Black man falsely accused of sexually assaulting a white woman. He ends up with Atticus Finch as his attorney, a man who feels all people deserve to be treated equally, and he finds himself facing the town’s wrath for defending this man.
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11
What the movie does so well, and what makes it perfect for students to watch during Black History Month, is that the film mostly shows the story from Atticus’ daughter’s point of view. It is similar in the book, with Scout (and her brother Jem) seeing what is happening to the falsely accused man and the townspeople’s almost blind racist hatred toward him based solely on his skin color. To Kill a Mockingbird received numerous accolades and is one of cinema’s most beloved movies.
4
The Great Debaters (2007)
Rated PG-13 For Depiction Of Strong Thematic Material Including Violence And Disturbing Images, And For Language And Brief Sexuality
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The Great Debaters
PG-13
Drama
8.3/10
Release Date
December 25, 2007
Runtime
126 Minutes
Director
Denzel Washington
Writers
Robert Eisele
Cast
See All
-
Denzel Whitaker
-
Denzel Washington
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In 2007, Denzel Washington took the lead role in another socially conscious historical drama. This time, the film was The Great Debaters, and it cast Washington in the role of a debate coach named Melvin B. Tolson at Wiley College, a historically Black college that was part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Much like many of Washington’s socially conscious roles, this was also based on a real person. In this film, he led the debate team to compete with white colleges, despite the racism prevalent in the 1930s.
A perfect movie for students to watch to learn about the difficulties in high schools in the past, The Great Debaters is set in the Great Depression where many Black Americans were often subjected to lynchings. It also focuses on gender discrimination, making this a perfect film for male and female students. It is an inspirational movie that shows that anyone can achieve anything if they have the determination and will to stand up against hate and intolerance.
3
Coach Carter (2005)
Rated PG-13 For Violence, Sexual Content, Language, Teen Partying And Some Drug Material
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Coach Carter
PG-13
Drama
Sport
History
10/10
Release Date
January 14, 2005
Runtime
136 minutes
Director
Thomas Carter
Writers
John Gatins, Mark Schwahn
Cast
See All
-
Samuel L. Jackson
Ken Carter
-
Rob Brown
Kenyon Stone
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Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in many movies over his career, and many of his roles include him saying things that parents might not want younger students to hear. However, he is also someone that almost every kid knows now as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2005, Jackson took on the lead role in an inspirational sports story based on a real-life character named Ken Carter. He was the head coach of Richmond High School in 1999.
One thing that helps this movie stand out for students is that it focuses on academic importance over just athletic excellence. The main thing that Coach Carter did that was so controversial was suspending his undefeated team because of poor academic grades. This is an important inspirational sports movie for parents to watch with their students because it emphasizes academic excellence over all other goals, proving that is what will help these kids move on when they finish school.
2
The Princess And The Frog (2009)
Rated G For All Ages
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The Princess and the Frog
g
Family
Musical
9/10
10/10
Release Date
December 10, 2009
Runtime
97minutes
Director
John Musker
Writers
John Musker
Franchise(s)
Disney
Cast
See All
-
Anika Noni Rose
-
John Musker
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For decades, Walt Disney Animation made Disney Princess movies, but they all had one thing in common: the Disney Princesses were always young white women. That all changed with The Princess and the Frog. This animated film tells the story of The Frog Prince, but it moves the action to New Orleans and introduces Tiana, the first Black Disney Princess as she sets out to achieve her dreams, only to find obstacles put in her way when she kisses a frog, hoping it becomes her prince, only to turn into a frog herself.
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For Black History Month, it is important for students to see not just movies about history and the hard moments in life, but also uplifting stories where they see themselves in the roles of the lead characters. This film allows young Black girls to see themselves in the role of a Disney Princess, but not one who’s helpless. Tiana is a Disney Princess who has the inner fortitude to find her own dreams without needing a prince to help save her in the end.
1
The Hate U Give (2018)
Rated PG-13 For Mature Thematic Elements, Some Violent Content, Drug Material And Language
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The Hate U Give
PG-13
Drama
9/10
Release Date
October 19, 2018
Runtime
132 Minutes
Director
George Tillman Jr.
Writers
Audrey Wells
Cast
See All
-
Issa Rae
-
Amandla Stenberg
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While this is in no way a movie that is appropriate for younger elementary-aged students, it is a Black History Month movie that is almost required viewing for high school-aged students. Directed by George Tillman Jr. and based on the novel by Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give is a coming-of-age teen drama that follows the life of a high school girl who witnesses a police shooting. In the story, Khalil Harris (Algee Smith) is a young man who is driving his friend Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) home when he is pulled over by a police officer and then gunned down by the officer in the streets.
The movie has a lot of depth, both from the local community’s reaction when the grand jury chooses not to indict the police officer as well as when a local street gang comes after Starr and her family after she points out that they are the real bad guys on the streets, not her friend who the police officer murdered. Starr stands up for what she believes in, even when it costs her friends, and it is a perfect Black History Month movie showing how important it is to remain steady in one’s beliefs.
Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment