Great Historical Black Movies 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.