For the last day of Black History Month, we’re not doing a biopic but instead A Raisin in the Sun. A Raisin in the Sun is where a lot of Black History intersect.

A Raisin in the Sun is based off of the play of the same name written by Lorraine Hansberry, the first Black woman to write a play that appeared on Broadway. The title of the play was taken from Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem” (“A Dream Deferred”). The film stars Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.

A Raisin in the Sun artfully captures the struggle of a working class Black family in segregated America. A man wants to better his family’s living situation, making some bad choices along the way. We get to see character development from his sister, who shuns her materialism and seeks out her identity. And white folks were hating.

There have been several revivals of the play and film remakes, including one starring P. Diddy, but the 1961 film is a classic. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 28 – ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Pebbles Reid may be a piece of crap, but TLC was/is that girl group. They had some hits. “No Scrubs” let women everywhere know they didn’t have to deal with ain’t sh*t men, a lesson that is still relevant in the age of Hotep Twitter.

When CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story was first announced, many were apprehensive. That apprehension grew when Lil Mama was announced to be playing Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. But CrazySexyCool ending up proving us wrong and was well put together for a VH1 television film. Lil Mama ending up being the breakout star, putting her all in it.

CrazySexyCool didn’t hold back any punches. It gave us a candid look into what happened behind the scenes of TLC’s career, including the manipulations of Pebbles. Pebbles trifling tail really gave them those janky Rav 4s.

It was VH1’s highest rated original film as well as the highest rated television film of 2013. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 27 – ‘CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story’ appeared first on Films of Color.

The older generations always complain about how there is no good music these days. All the good music was in days past. Now, haters gonna hate, but there were a lot of jams back in the day.

The days of yore gave us such greats as Chuck Berry and Etta James. Cadillac Records explores this era, centering around Chess Records, its executive/co-founder and some of its musicians.

Cadillac Records was nominated for numerous awards and won several, including a Black Reel Award and an NAACP Image Award. It’s available here.

The post Black History Month Day 26 – ‘Cadillac Records’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Billie Holiday was one of the greats of the twentieth century. She had a unique, powerful voice. She had her struggles in life and battled addiction, but her contributions and influence in jazz are still felt to this day. Her short life was filled with accomplishment.

Lady Sings the Blues chronicles the life and career of Billie Holiday. It stars fellow legend Diana Ross as Holiday. The film balances her struggle and her accomplishments, showing the incredible journey Holiday took.

Lady Sings the Blues won three NAACP Image Awards, including one for Outstanding Motion Picture, and was nominated for five Academy Awards. It’s available here.

The post Black History Month Day 25 – ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Jackie Robinson was the first Black baseball player to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who started him as first baseman in April 1947, breaking down racial segregation that plagued the MLB.

42 is a biopic starting Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson. The film was named after Robinson’s jersey number. The film mostly focuses on the 1947 season, the first season Robinson’s with the Dodgers.

42 was nominated for several awards. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 24 – ’42’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Biggie Smalls AKA The Notorious BIG was a rapper of many names. He had almost as many names as Diddy. He was essential in bring East Coast rap to the forefront in hip-hop. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in a drive-by shooting.

Notorious is a biopic depicting the short life of Christopher Wallace AKA Biggie Smalls. Jamal Woolard portrayed Biggie. Angela Bassett makes another wonderful biopic performance, this time as Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace. The film captures key moments of Biggie’s short life. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 23 – ‘Notorious’ appeared first on Films of Color.

We can’t get through Black History Month without talking about Josephine Baker. She did it all. She was a singer, dancer, actor, activist, and even spy.

Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major film. She achieved worldwide recognition, another first for a Black woman. She was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement, even refusing to perform for segregated audiences.

The Josephine Baker Story is a TV film that aired on HBO. Lynn Whitfield starred as Baker. The film follows Baker as she worked to achieve worldwide fame.

It won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series, or Television Movie for Whitfield. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 22 – ‘The Josephine Baker Story’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Ray Charles was a pioneer in soul music. Known as “The Genius,” his talent could not be contained to one genre. Blinded at age seven, this hindrance did not stop Ray Charles from being one of the greats.

Ray is a biopic starring Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. Ray chronicles his career, from how he went blind to how he found his calling to becoming a musical pioneer.

Jamie Foxx was praised for his performance. He received an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BET Award, a Black Reel Award, and an NAACP Image Award amongst others. The film garnered countless more awards. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 21 – ‘Ray’ appeared first on Films of Color.

Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) is a music treasure. She is the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. At 75, she can still put on a better performance than most of your faves.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? is a biopic based on her life. Angela Bassett continued her string of portraying powerful women in history by playing Turner. The films chronicles how Turner was able to build her music career while facing the struggles in her life, including her abusive relationship with Ike Turner.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? earned several award nominations and garnered Angela Bassett a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture. It is available here.

The post Black History Month Day 20 – ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ appeared first on Films of Color.

The Temptations were one of the most successful music groups in history. They were one of Motown’s biggest acts. They could harmonize, dance, and had a distinct style. But more importantly, they had some jams. “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Bed,” and “Get Ready” are just some of their many hits.

The Temptations is a miniseries that aired on NBC. Leon, our favorite TV singer, also starred in this miniseries, this time playing David Ruffin. Like The Jacksons: An American Dream, it might be hard to watch The Temptations in one sitting, but it’s a remarkable watch.

The Temptations won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or Movie and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie or Miniseries. It is available here.

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