Essential Viewing: 20 Iconic Black Films

From Lady Sings the Blues to Precious, these must-see Black films contributed greatly to American cinema.

Lady Sings The Blues

By Derrick Bryson Taylor · Updated October 28, 2020

Actress Hattie McDaniel stole the show in the 1936 classic film Gone with the Wind and walked away with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In that boundary-breaking moment, the world would start to realize the wealth of Black talent in cinema.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, and African-Americans are headlining the biggest blockbusters and the most respected films of our time.

In honor of Black History Month and ESSENCE’s Black Women in Hollywood luncheon this Thursday, we’ve compiled a list of 20 Black films that have raised the bar in cinema.