Celebrate Black History Month With These Five Films

All across the nation, February is observed as Black History Month. It is a time to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans. Regardless of what Black History means to you, it is meant for us to reflect on the particular hardships African Americans have faced and how in turn this has influenced our culture. Films in particular have always been a powerful medium for social issues, various of which powerfully tell the stories of African Americans. Here are five such movies:

12 Years a Slave (2013):

This powerful film is based on the memoir by Solomon Northup, a free man and talented violinist who is deceitfully sold into slavery. During his time as a slave, he has several owners, some more cruel than others. Northup is able to seek his freedom with help from a Canadian abolitionist. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Northup with supporting roles by Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Django Unchained (2012):

This Tarantino western stars Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave who is bought by an eccentric German bounty hunter named Dr. Schultz, played by Christoph Waltz. Schultz promises to free Django in return for his help in hunting down a group of criminals. They then embark on a journey to find Django’s wife (Kerry Washington), a slave to the cruel Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

The Color Purple (1985):

Based on the popular Alice Walker novel of the same name, this Spielberg film tells the story of Celie, a young woman who is abused by her father, with whom she has two children. She is then forced to marry a man named Albert, who is also abusive. Celie’s sister, Nettie, comes to live with them but Albert kicks her out for refusing his advances. Many years pass, but eventually Celie stands up to Albert and is reunited with her sister and children. The film stars Desreta Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey.

Precious (2009):

Precious (played by Gabourey Sidibe) is an obese, uneducated 16 year-old girl with big dreams and an even bigger heart, but her family life is more than just tough. She is pregnant with her father’s second child and lives with her abusive mother. Precious’ school principal encourages her to go to an alternative school, where she forms a connection with her teacher Ms. Rain. After the birth of her son, a fight with her mother leads Precious to flee and seek a brand new start.

Malcolm X (1992):

Denzel Washington stars in this Spike Lee film as the controversial Muslim American activist who pushed for black liberation. The films shows Malcolm X through different stages of his life. First, as a young man after the assassination of his father, then as a prisoner, and finally as an activist and Muslim, leading up to his assassination.