Black History Month 2021: Films, Podcasts, and Books
As Black History Month comes to an end, OFM put together a list of important films, podcasts, and books created by Black artists and authors to engage with this month and all year round.
Films
13th
13th, created by filmmaker Ava Duvernay, dives into the systemic racial injustices of the U.S. prison system. The award-winning documentary is available for free on YouTube or on Netflix.
I Am Not Your Negro
I Am Not Your Negro is a documentary based on James Baldwin’s unfinished project “Remember This House” and recounts the lives of Baldwin’s friends, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evans. I Am Not Your Negro is available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
Happy Birthday, Marsha!
Happy Birthday, Marsha! is a fictional short film created by the filmmaker Tourmaline. It follows the life of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson in the hours leading up to the 1969 Stonewall Riots. You can stream it on Amazon Prime here.
Other notable films include:
- Say Her Name: The Life And Death Of Sandra Bland
- Free Angela and All Political Prisoners
- All-in, the Fight for Democracy
- Whose Streets
- Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child.
Podcasts
1619
The New York Times’ 1619 podcast explores the history of slavery in the United States and its legacy today. It was first released in August of 2016, on the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of African slaves in the United States, under British rule. The podcast is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Historically Black
Historically Black uses objects submitted by listeners to explore Black history and the ways in which personal objects hold deep historical meaning. Celebrity hosts include Keegan-Micheal Key, Issa Rae, and Roxane Gay. To get started, listen to “Black Love Stories,” which dives into the history of Black marriage and love.
Black History Buff
The Black History Buff podcast examines the history of the African diaspora by tracing the stories of Black people and their achievements throughout time. The podcast began a second season in July of 2020, and their most recent episode is “Why Fire and Rain Are Enemies: An African Folktale.” Listen here.
Books
The Fire Next Time
James Baldwins’ 1963 nonfiction book The Fire Next Time includes two essays: “My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation” and “Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region of My Mind.” Both essays focus on facets of Black life in the United States and the ways in which American society oppresses Black people. You can order The Fire Next Time from Shop at Matter in Denver here.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, coauthored by Alex Haley and Malcolm X, was written from a series of interviews conducted by Haley in the two years leading up to Malcolm X’s assassination. The autobiography traces Malcolm X’s early life up until his death. Order from Matter here.
The Song of Solomon
The Song of Solomon is Toni Morrison’s third novel and follows the life of Macon “Milkman” Dead III as he embarks on a journey that leads him to great self-discovery and a new understand of his ancestral history. The novel is available at Semicolon Bookstore and Gallery here.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander, examines the deep inequities within the American criminal justice system and the consequences of these inequities on Black Americans. The book reveals that the racist laws of the Jim Crow era have not disappeared, but instead morphed into a quieter, yet just as abusive, new racial caste system. Order the book from Matter here.
