Ranker FilmList RulesVote up your favorite Black movies that are based on true stories.
Historical movies about famous Black people often focus on stories of bravery in the face of oppression. The top historical Black movies are based on civil rights leaders, sports stars, and legendary musicians. This is a list of true Black movies featuring everything from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom to 12 Years a Slave to Malcolm X.
What movies will you find on this list of the best historical Black films? History buffs might place Glory near the top. Based on the Civil War experiences of one of the first military units of the Union Army to be comprised entirely of African-American men, this great film went on to win three Academy Awards, including a Best Supporting Actor trophy for Denzel Washington. Ali, starring Will Smith, is another good Black movie based on true events. Selma took an in-depth look at Martin Luther King's iconic march from Selma to Montgomery to fight for equal voting rights for African Americans. Other good movies featured on this best historical Black films list include biography films like The Hurricane and The Last King of Scotland, not to mention a great deal of top African American biopics.
Do you have a favorite historical Black movie? Give the best films a vote up and please down any that you think other fans can skip. When you're done, be sure to check out our list of movies about discrimination.
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27243Hidden Figures
Taraji P. Henson, Octavia SpencerReleased: 2016
Directed by: Theodore Melfi
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2455112 Years a Slave
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael FassbenderReleased: 2013
Directed by: Steve McQueen
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16824The Help
Emma Stone, Jessica ChastainReleased: 2011
Directed by: Tate Taylor
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22053Malcolm X
Denzel Washington, Al SharptonReleased: 1992
Directed by: Spike Lee
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14315The Color Purple
Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi GoldbergReleased: 1985
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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2054942
Chadwick Boseman, Nicole BeharieReleased: 2013
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
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15832Glory
Morgan Freeman, Denzel WashingtonReleased: 1989
Directed by: Edward Zwick
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14831The Butler
Mariah Carey, Robin WilliamsReleased: 2013
Directed by: Lee Daniels
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14233Hotel Rwanda
Nick Nolte, Joaquin PhoenixReleased: 2004
Directed by: Terry George
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9419The Tuskegee Airmen
John Lithgow, Cuba Gooding Jr.Released: 1995
Directed by: Robert Markowitz
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11439Selma
Oprah Winfrey, CommonReleased: 2014
Directed by: Ava DuVernay
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10835Amistad
Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaugheyReleased: 1997
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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9028Ali
Will Smith, Jamie FoxxReleased: 2001
Directed by: Michael Mann
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8627Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Idris Elba, Naomie HarrisReleased: 2013
Directed by: Justin Chadwick
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9131Django Unchained
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry WashingtonReleased: 2012
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
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6513Fences
Denzel Washington, Viola DavisReleased: 2016
Directed by: Denzel Washington
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7521The Great Debaters
Denzel Washington, Forest WhitakerReleased: 2007
Directed by: Denzel Washington
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8530Rosewood
Jon Voight, Don CheadleReleased: 1997
Directed by: John Singleton
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8632Invictus
Morgan Freeman, Matt DamonReleased: 2009
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
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9341Cool Runnings
John Candy, Malik YobaReleased: 1993
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
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6421The Hurricane
Denzel Washington, Liev SchreiberReleased: 1999
Directed by: Norman Jewison
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6928Ghosts of Mississippi
Alec Baldwin, Whoopi GoldbergReleased: 1996
Directed by: Rob Reiner
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6426Red Tails
Daniela Ruah, Bryan CranstonReleased: 2012
Directed by: Anthony Hemingway
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5821The Long Walk Home
Whoopi Goldberg, Sissy SpacekReleased: 1990
Directed by: Richard Pearce
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387Loving
Joel Edgerton, Ruth NeggaReleased: 2016
Directed by: Jeff Nichols
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