Hulu Films & Sitcoms To Watch For Black History Month

75th Primetime Emmy Awards - Press Room

February is Black History Month, and while the month is almost over, there’s still a few days to celebrate.

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In honor of BHM, Hulu has provided a curated collection of movies, TV shows, historical biopics, and documentaries that highlight Black stories.

From Black icons who changed the course of history like Malcom X, to stars like Quinta Brunson–who became the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy in over 40 years–check out our list of shows and films to watch to cap off Black History Month:

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures is the story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. Katherine G. Johnson is played by Taraji P. Henson, Dorothy Vaughan by Octavia Spencer, and Mary Jackson by Janelle Monáe.

 

The United States vs. Billie Holiday

This Hulu Original film is led by Oscar-nominated director, Lee Daniels, and starring Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, Andra Day. According to the film’s official synopsis, it “follows Holiday during her career as she is targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she has a tumultuous affair.”

 

Genius: MLK/X

Genius is an American biographical anthology drama television series developed by Noah Pink and Kenneth Biller which premiered on National Geographic, according to Wikipedia. The first season, which aired between April and June 2017, followed the life of Albert Einstein. The fourth season premiered earlier this month and follows the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.

 

Summer Of Soul

In his debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.

“Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was largely forgotten–until now,” according to Searchlight Pictures.

Atlanta

Atlanta, created by Donald Glover, follows college dropout and music manager Earnest “Earn” Marks (Glover) and rapper Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, played by Brian Tyree Henry, as they navigate the Atlanta hip hop scene.

Black Ice

Executive produced by LeBron James and Drake, “Black Ice exposes a history of racism in hockey through the untold stories of Black hockey players, both past and present, in a predominantly white sport,” according to IMDb.

The Hair Tales

Executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Michaela Angela Davis bring us The Hair Tales: a six-part docuseries celebrating identity and culture thought the personal stories of Black women.

Abbott Elementary

Having just returned for season 3, Abbott Elementary is “a workplace comedy centered around a group of dedicated teachers – and an oblivious principal – in a Philadelphia public school,” according to IMDb. Despite the odds stacked against them–and there certainly are a lot–the teachers are determined to help their students succeed in life.

Bruiser

“14-year-old Darious explores the boundaries of his manhood with Malcolm, his strict but loving father, and Porter, a charismatic drifter,” Wikipedia’s description reads. “When Darious learns Porter’s true identity, he is thrust into a conflict between the two men.”

 

Living Single

Living Single follows six Black 20-somethings as they share their lives in a Brooklyn brownstone. Three women share one of the apartments, receiving frequent visits from a fourth friend; meanwhile, two men who’ve been friends for years share an apartment one floor up.

 

Ali

Ali is a 2001 American biographical sports drama film that focuses on ten years in the life of the boxer Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith. The film features his heavyweight title, his conversion to Islam, criticism of the Vietnam War, and his banishment from boxing. It also touches on social and political disruption in the United States following the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

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