It’s an often-repeated trope that great art comes out of difficult times. But really, art is just a mirror with the power to reflect what we’re already seeing and feeling.
As people around the world pour into the streets to collectively demand that Black Lives Matter, we must take this time to listen and reflect. We must listen to the leaders and activists at the forefront of this movement. We must lift up the voices of Black creators. And we must look inwards and ask, how will we take this moment and let it shape our perspective?
As creators, it’s in our blood to make things. It’s our way of making sense of ourselves and of the world around us. And as artists, it is our work to become more conscious of how we engage with Black entertainment and examine how certain stereotypes or blind spots might be affecting our own work.
There have been a lot of articles detailing the ways consumers can more consciously choose to support Black art and Black businesses. But the answer is not to just buy Black once or reshare the lists and pat ourselves on the back. The real work is in allowing these lists to reframe our consumption habits and, ultimately, our perspective.
This is not another to-watch, to-read, to-listen list. This list is a challenge and an invitation. And yes, the art here is meant to serve as a mirror. One that not only can help us see ourselves as individuals and creators more clearly, but also, by extension, the lives of people outside of our community. Because we cannot change what we cannot see.
Our focus here is on the films, TV series, and podcasts that we believe can begin to widen our understanding of history - and our place in it - and open our eyes to experiences outside of our own. In addition to works that contextualize history, we've also sought out Black entertainment that shines a light on the everyday, the ordinary, and the triumphant and heroic stories too. Because it’s in the full breadth of human experience that we can find our own humanity. No matter your background, we are 100% sure you’ll find something new to love.
This list is by no means exhaustive - we had to leave out so many worthy titles lest this blog goes on forever - so please help us fill in any gaps by sharing your most-loved suggestions for entertainment centered on the Black experience in the comments.
To our Tongal family: We stand with the Black members of our community, and Black people everywhere, and will continue to give your stories a platform. Because we have a shared responsibility to end racism, discrimination, and intolerance in our world.
Films
13th - In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom.
Dope - Malcolm (Shameik Moore) is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the SAT. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.
Do The Right Thing - Smart, vibrant, and urgent without being didactic, Do the Right Thing is one of Spike Lee's most fully realized efforts -- and one of the most important films of the 1980s.
Get Out- Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.
HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé - This intimate, in-depth look at Beyoncé's celebrated 2018 Coachella performance reveals the emotional road from creative concept to cultural movement.
I Am Not Your Negro - An incendiary snapshot of writer James Baldwin's crucial observations on American race relations -- and a sobering reminder of how far we've yet to go.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco - Jimmie Fails dreams of reclaiming the Victorian home his grandfather built in the heart of San Francisco. Joined on his quest by his best friend Mont, Jimmie searches for belonging in a rapidly changing city that seems to have left them behind.
Paris Is Burning - A powerful snapshot of '80s transgender subculture where the understated camera eye gives space for this world to flourish and the people to speak (and dance) for themselves.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - This groundbreaking superhero film mixes bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of action.
What Happened, Miss Simone? - Using never-before-heard recordings, rare archival footage and her best-known songs, this is the story of legendary singer and activist Nina Simone.
The Wiz- This groundbreaking musical fantasy features an all-black cast led by Diana Ross in a reimagination of The Wizard of Oz.
TV Series
Atlanta - Created by Donald Glover, this genre-bending comedy series zig-zags between hyperrealism and surrealism to tell the story of two cousins working through the Atlanta music scene in order to better their lives and the lives of their families.
Black-ish- This family sitcom follows an upper-middle-class African-American family as they juggle several personal and sociopolitical issues.
The Boondocks - Based on the original comic strip Boondocks, this is a fish-out-of-water story of two young brothers (Huey and Riley) who move away from their birth city to live with their irascible grandfather out in the suburbs.
Chappelle's Show - Featuring stand-up, sketch comedy and musical performances, Dave Chappelle takes on culture with a no-holds-barred attitude. And with themes like race and fame at the forefront of the series, nothing is off-limits on Chappelle's Show.
The Chi - A timely coming-of-age drama series set in Chicago’s south side and centered on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption.
Dear White People - Students of color navigate the daily slights and slippery politics of life at an Ivy League college that's not nearly as "post-racial" as it thinks.
Insecure - Creator Issa Rae stars as Issa Dee, a young professional struggling to navigate the tricky professional and personal terrain of Los Angeles.
Orange Is The New Black - Told through the lens of an affluent New Yorker who ends up in a women's prison when a past crime catches up with her, this series stands out for illuminating the systematic struggles of less-privileged inmates.
Pose - Featuring the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles, Pose is a drama spotlighting the legends, icons and ferocious house mothers of New York’s underground ball culture, a movement that first gained notice in the 1980s.
Podcasts
1619 - In this New York Times audio series, host Nikole Hannah-Jones examines the long shadow of American slavery.
Black Girl Nerds - Black Girl Nerds is a podcast and an online community devoted to promoting nerdiness among Black women & people of color.
Black Like Me - Black Like Me with Dr. Alex Gee is a podcast that invites you to experience the world through the perspective of one Black man, one conversation, one story, or even one rant at a time.
Code Switch - Hosted by journalists of color, this NPR-backed podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. It explores how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story.
Intersectionality Matters - Presented by AAPF and Kimberle Crenshaw, this podcast brings intersectionality to life in compelling detail.
Mixed Company - A raw podcast about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in creative Industries with the mission to take a critical look at advertising from “the bottom up”, as hosts Simeon Coker and Kai Deveraux Lawson unpack current issues and provide real solutions.
Seeing White - Where did the notion of “whiteness” come from? What does it mean? What is whiteness for? Scene on Radio host and producer John Biewen takes a deep dive into these questions, along with an array of leading scholars and regular guest Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika, in this fourteen-part documentary series.
