15 Movies Everyone Should Watch This Black History Month

Whether it’s a story of Olympic athletes or the President of the United States, there are plenty of films to watch in celebration of Black culture.

Author:
Claire Kuwana
Publish date:
Feb 13, 2023

February is Black History Month, making it a great time to look back on the stories of Black athletes, politicians and other figures who have shaped American history. While there are a number of popular movies that tell well-known stories from the Civil Rights movement or Jim Crow era, there are also powerful documentaries about athletes and public figures who carved out of a spot in history for themselves—no matter how hard the deep-ridden racism in America tried to keep them out.

Here is a list, in no particular order, of documentaries and films to stream this Black History Month:

1. The Green Book

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Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen both deliver great performances in this 2019 film about a Black pianist and white driver who tour throughout the Deep South in the midst of segregation.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

2. Long Time Coming: A 1955 Baseball Story

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This movie tells the intimate story of two Southern Little League squads that exist in the time of intense racial segregation in America.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

3. The Jackie Robinson Story

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This 1950 film is a blast from the past—restored in original black and white—that documents the story of Jackie Robinson (playing himself) and his career as the first Black player in the major leagues.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

4. Olympic Pride American Prejudice

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Every sports fan has heard the story of Jesse Owens at the Berlin Olympics. But what about the other 17 Black athletes that were there? This film—which has an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes—tells their story.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

5. The Joe Louis Story

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This movie, originally released in 1953, documents the story of Joe Louis, who won the 1934 Golden Gloves but dealt with racism throughout his career, especially in bouts against a German boxer.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

6. The Obama Years: The Power of Words

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This TV film special from Smithsonian includes six of Obama’s most career-defining speeches.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

7. Tiger Woods: Icon

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This documentary tells the story of Tiger Woods, who broke into the white-dominated sport to become one of the most celebrated golfers in history.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

8. Muhammad Ali: The Greatest

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This 2016 film is one of many chronicling the career of Muhammad Ali, the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

9. Ali’s Comeback

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While Muhammad Ali: The Greatest documents the rise and fall of the boxer’s career, Ali’s Comeback tells the story of how he returned to the sport after being stripped of his title and banned from fighting.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

10. Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier

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A Smithsonian TV special, this documentary reveals the often untold story of how black astronauts broke into the Space Race as the Civil Rights Movement was happening on the ground.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

11. LeBron James: King of the Court

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Now that he is officially crowned the King of the NBA with the No. 1 scoring title, look back at his legendary career with this documentary on the G.O.A.T.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

12. Kobe Bryant: A Tribute

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After Kobe Bryant’s sudden death, this documentary honors his basketball legacy.

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13. Kobe Bryant’s Muse

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Produced prior to Bryant’s death, this documentary gives fans an inside look at his career and work ethic, through the lens of mentors, allies and rivals that shaped him.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

14. Venus and Serena

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Before the Oscar-nominated film King Richard told the story of Venus and Serena Williams’s father, filmmakers Maiken Baird and Michelle Major documented the sisters rise to tennis fame.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.

15. Champions Forever: The Definitive Edition

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This film centers on what many would call the biggest era in heavyweight boxing, when Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Kenny Norton and Larry Holmes were all fighting.

Watch on fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today.