Black History on Film: Documentaries and Feature Films about the African-American Experience

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Black History on Film

Documentary and feature films about the African-American experience

History | Culture, Music & the Arts | Biography | Feature Films | Films for Children

HISTORY


Africans in America (1998) VID 973.0496073 AFRICANS v. 1-4: A four part series portraying the struggles of the African people in America. Narrated by Angela Bassett. From PBS.
America beyond the color line (2003) DVD 305.896 AMERICA: Henry Louis Gates Jr. travels to the east coast, the deep South, inner city Chicago, and Hollywood to investigate modern black America and interview influential Americans including Colin Powell, Quincy Jones, Samuel L. Jackson, Alicia Keys, Maya Angelou, Willie Herenton and others.
America's Black Warriors: Two Wars to Win (1998) VID 940.5403 AMERICAS: The video features numerous African-American WWII veterans, who speak with brutal honesty about the prejudice they encountered and the battles they fought.
Black Indians: An American Story (2000) VID 970.004043 BLACK (Brightwood): Explores what brought Native Americans and African Americans together, what drove them apart, and the challenges that they face today. Narrated by James Earl Jones.
The Black West (1993) VID 978.02 Bla (Mason Square): Presents the history of blacks in the old West through feature film clips, rare archival photography, and exclusive interviews with descendants of Western icons. Narrated by Danny Glover.
4 Little Girls (1998) DVD 976.1781 FOUR AND VID 323.1196 FOUR LIT (Mason Square): The story of the four young girls who were murdered by a bomb blast at the 16th St. Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. Produced and directed by Spike Lee.
A Hard Road to Glory: The Black Athlete in America (1988) VID 796.08996 Har (Mason Square): This film captures and defines some of America's most riveting sports dramas. Narrated by James Earl Jones.
The History of Great Black Baseball Players (1990) VID 796 H: Examines the accomplishments of great black baseball players from the infancy of the old Negro National League in 1920, through its heyday in the 1930's and 40's and from the first appearance of a black player in the major leagues to the emergence of today's superstars.
Home of the Brave DVD BIO LIUZZO VIOLA: Viola Liuzzo, a 39-year-old wife and mother of five, was the only white woman killed during the civil rights movement. Narrated by Stockard Channing, Paola di Florio's powerful and poignant documentary tells Liuzzo's tragic story.
Hoop Dreams DVD 796.323 HOOP: This documentary follows two inner-city basketball phenoms' lives through high school as they chase their dreams of playing in the NBA.
This House of Power (1993) VID 305.896073 HOUSE OF: A tribute to the role of the church in the African-American experience.
Images & Realities (1998) VID 973.0496073 IMAGES A, v. 1, 2, and 4: This outstanding series of programs focuses on important contemporary issues facing African-Americans today. Narrated by Louis Gosset Jr.
The Journey of the African-American Athlete (1996) VID 796.08996 JOURNEY: Captured here are some of the finest achievements in sports history: Joe Louis, Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson.
Liberia: America's stepchild (2003) VID 966.6 LIBERIA: From Haitian slave revolts and the American Colonization Society to the 1997 election of Charles Taylor to the presidency and his corrupt administration, this program looks at events leading from the founding of Liberia and its history up through the twentieth century.
Martin Luther King: "I Have a Dream" DVD 323.4 MARTIN: Contains King's entire inspirational speech in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963. Special features: "The big march" (1963); "March on Washington" (1963); "The march twenty years later" (1983). From the Black History Collection.
The Massachusetts 54th colored infantry DVD 973.7415 MASSACHU: Chronicles the formation and battlefield heroics of the first all-black Union regiment, the Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry. Highlights of this documentary include archival daguerreotypes, tintypes, lithographs, and commentary by various historians. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.
The murder of Emmett Till (2003) VID 364.1523 MURDER: The shameful, sadistic murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, a black boy who whistled at a white woman in a Mississippi grocery store in 1955, was a powerful catalyst for the civil rights movement. Although Till's killers were apprehended, they were quickly acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury and proceeded to sell their story to a journalist, providing grisly details of the murder. Three months after Till's body was recovered, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began.
Not Your Usual Black History Special (1999) VID 973.0496073 NOT YOUR: Discusses achievements and contributions by blacks in the United States. Featured: boxer Joe Louis; early black filmmakers; Todd Duncan, who played the first Porgy; slave quilts; and the Civil War Colored Regiment.
The Promised Land (1995) VID 973.0496073 PROMISED, v. 1-3 (Sixteen Acres): Documents the migration of rural Southern blacks from the segregated South to Chicago. Includes historical footage and personal interviews. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.
Safe harbor (2003) DVD 973.7115 SAFE: In the same way fog envelops a town, the Underground Railroad is clouded by myth and obscured by legend. Neither underground nor a railroad, it was an illegal network to help slaves escape to freedom.
The Underground Railroad (1998) VID 973.7115 UNDERGRO (East Forest Park, Mason Square) AND JDVD 973.7115 UNDERGRO: This is the thrilling story of the struggle to break the bonds of slavery in the American South. Narrated by Alfre Woodard.
The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till DVD 323.1196 UNTOLD: The culmination of a 10-year investigation to uncover the details behind the nightmarish 1955 Mississippi murder of Emmett Louis Till, an African-American Chicago teenager. Till's death sparked the American Civil Rights Movement.
The Voyage of La Amistad: a quest for freedom (1998) VID 306.362 VOY: Chronicle of the story of the abducted Africans and their battles for freedom, first on the Amistad and then as they stood trial in a strange land, taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court with various abolitionists and former president John Quincy Adams leading the way.
We Shall Not Be Moved (2002) VID 323.1196073 WE SHALL: The role of African-American churches in the civil rights movement. Narrated by Ossie Davis.

CULTURE, MUSIC AND THE ARTS

Afro Promo DVD 791.4308996 AFRO: Alternately trashy and poignant and sometimes just plain hard to believe these days, here's an irresistible program of black cinema trailers that trace its evolution through its most crucial period, 1946-1976.
Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance (1998) VID 704.0396 AGAINST: Harlem in the 1920s and 1930s was the scene of a passionate outburst of creativity by African-American visual artists. This documentary tells how black artists triumphed over the prejudice and segregation that kept their work out of mainstream galleries and exhibitions, and recalls the vibrancy of Harlem in the roaring twenties. Narrated by Joe Morton.
Aida's Brothers & Sisters: Black Voices in Opera (2000) VID 782.1092 AIDAS: Presents the history and current situation of African-American opera singers in America.
Alice Walker (1989) VID 813.54 WALKER (Mason Square): Alice Walker reads from Revolutionary Petunias and Other Poems, and other works, and is interviewed at her home by journalist Evelyn White. From the Lannan Foundation Literary Series.
The art of Romare Bearden (2003) DVD 709.2 BEARDEN: This film traces Bearden's entire career, including his paintings and watercolors of the 1940's, experimental collages of 1964, large scale murals and late landscapes. Featuring commentary by friends including Wynton Marsalis, Albert Murray, and Emma Amos. Narrated by Morgan Freeman with readings by Danny Glover.
A Century of Black Cinema (1997) 791.43089 CEN (Mason Square): This program takes you on an illuminating journey through the careers of the finest Afro-American entertainers ever to grace the silver screen.
Chicago Blues (1986) VID 781.643 CHICAGO: Traces the evolution of blues music from its origins in the rural south to the contemporary electric sound shaped in the ghettos of Chicago.
An Evening with Alvin Ailey (1988) VID 792.78 Eve (Mason Square): Four short compositions performed by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, with an introduction by Alvin Ailey.
God's Trombones: A Trilogy of African-American Poems (1994) VID 811.52 GODS TRO AND JDVD G (east Forest Park): Features three inspirational sermons of the old-time black preachers taken from James Weldon Johnson's book of poetry titled God's Trombones. Narrated by James Earl Jones and Dorian Harewood.
Gospel: Rhythm of the Heart (2001) VID 782.254 GOSPEL: Traces the history of this resilient genre from the 'Father of Gospel' Thomas A. Dorsey and the legendary Mahalia Jackson to the stars of today.
The Harlem renaissance: the music & rhythms that started a cultural revolution (2004) DVD 780.8996 HARLEM: Featuring commentary from historians and the performers themselves, this program traces the roots of the music of the Harlem Renaissance, its social impact on society and its eventual acceptance in mainstream culture.
Ishmael Reed (1989) VID 811.54 REED (Brightwood): Reed reads from his New and Selected Poems and his novel The Terrible Threes. Includes portions of an interview with poet Lewis MacAdams. From the Lannan Foundation Literary Series.
Jazz (2000) VID 781.65 JAZZ v. 1 – 10 and DVD 781.65 JAZZ v. 1 – 10.: Documentary exploring the history of jazz from its beginnings through the 1990's, including the stories of many of its creators and performers. Narrated by Keith David. A Ken Burns film.
John Lee Hooker come and see about me : the definitive DVD (2004) DVD 781.643 JOHN LEE: "Come and see about me" illustrates the career of John Lee Hooker through complete archival performances of his most popular songs, many featuring special guests. Includes tributes to "The king of the boogie" from a number of the guests and comments from John Lee Hooker himself.
Michael Jackson number ones (2003) DVD 782.4216 MICHAEL: Highlights of Michael Jackson's career in music. It includes clips from videos, personal appearances on TV, interviews with various current musical stars, Dick Clark, Quincy Jones, and more.
Porgy and Bess (1992) DVD 792.5 PORGY: Video adaptation of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera stage production directed by Trevor Nunn. The Gershwins' classic musical drama portrays the lives of the occupants of Catfish Row. Includes synopsis in English, French, German and Italian.
Small Steps, Big Strides (1997) VID 791.4308996 SMALL ST: This tribute celebrates African American silver screen legends. Includes Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Nicholas Brothers, Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, James Earl Jones, and Gregory Hines. Narrated by Louis Gossett Jr.
Sonia Sanchez (1990) VID 811.54 SANCHEZ (Brightwood): Sonia Sanchez is a dynamic poet, playwright, activist, and teacher. She reads from Homegirls & Handgrenades and Under a Soprano Sky and is interviewed by poet Lewis MacAdams. From the Lannan Foundation Literary Series.
Visions of gospel volume one (2002) DVD 782.254 VISIONS: A collection of the best gospel music performances including Bishop T.D. Jakes & The Potters House Mass Choir, Beverly Crawford, Smokie Norful and many more. Your faith will be charged as you experience gospel music at its best!

BIOGRAPHY

Alice Walker, Author (1994) VID BIO WALKER ALICE: Biography of the author of The Color Purple. From the Black Americans of Achievement Collection II.
Citizen King (2004) DVD BIO KING MARTIN: "In exploring the last few years of his life, this ... American experience production traces King's efforts to recast himself by embracing causes beyond the civil rights movement, by becoming a champion of the poor and an outspoken opponent of the war in Vietnam. Tapping into a rich archive of photographs and film footage and using diaries, letters, and eyewitness accounts of fellow activists, friends, journalists, political leaders and law enforcement officials, this film brings fresh insights to King's impossible journey, his charismatic leadership and his truly remarkable impact."
Forever Ella: A Celebration of Ella Fitzgerald, Legendary American Singer (1999) VID BIO FITZGERA ELLA .2: Chronicles the personal life and singing career of the well-known jazz artist and discusses her impact on contemporary music. Narrated by Nancy Wilson.
Gordon Parks' "Visions": The Images, Words and Music of Gordon Parks (1986) VID BIO PARKS GORDON: The life story of award-winning photographer, composer, director, filmmaker and author, Gordon Parks.
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks (1999) VID BIO PARKS GORDON (Mason Square): Examines the photography, poetry, writing, music and life of Gordon Parks. Narrated by Alfre Woodard.
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) VID BIO ROBINSON JACKIE: Gives an autobiographical account of Robinson's journey through the Jim Crow sports establishment to baseball's major leagues. Robinson plays himself in a film that frames vignettes of racial prejudice against the personal courage of the first baseball player to break the color barrier in the Major Leagues. With Ruby Dee and Louise Beavers.
Jacob Lawrence: An Intimate Portrait (1993) VID BIO LAWRENCE JACOB: Documents the life and work of Jacob Lawrence, through interviews with the painter, his wife Gwendolyn Knight, colleagues, and critics, interwoven with examples of his work.
Jesse Owens: champion athlete (1994) VID BIO OWENS JESSE: Biography of the athlete Jesse Owens, gold-medal winner at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. From the Black Americans of Achievement Collection II.
Jim Brown : All American (2003) DVD BIO BROWN JIM: Spike Lee directs this moving portrait of Jim Brown and his days in the spotlight, first making football history as one of the 20th century's greatest athletes, and later as the star of numerous Hollywood features.
Kofi Annan center of the storm (2003) VID BIO ANNAN KOFI A.: Filmmaker David Grubin follows United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2002 as he flew to Afghanistan to encourage reconstruction efforts, to Norway to accept the Nobel Prize, and to East Timor to declare its independence, and even when the Secretary-General travels to Sesame Street to teach conflict resolution. Includes interviews with Kofi Annan and others.
Madam C.J. Walker: Entrepreneur (1992) VID BIO WALKER C.J.: A biography of the Afro-American businesswoman whose invention of facial creams and other cosmetics led to great financial success. Adapted from the book by A'Lelia Perry Bundles.
Marian Anderson (1995) VID BIO ANDERSON MARIAN: A biography of virtuosa Marian Anderson. From the American Women of Achievement Video Collection.
Marcus Garvey: Black-nationalist Leader (1994) VID BIO GARVEY MARCUS: Chronicles the life of Marcus Garvey, founder of the ‘back to Africa' movement. From the Black Americans of Achievement Collection II.
Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind (2001) VID BIO GARVEY MARCUS .2 (Mason Square): Uses a wealth of archival film, photographs and documents to uncover the story of this Jamaican immigrant who between 1916 and 1921 built the largest black mass movement in world history. Narrated by Carl Lumbly.
Matthew Henson: Explorer (1994) VID BIO HENSON MATTHEW ALEXANDE: Chronicles the life of Arctic explorer Matthew Henson. From the Black Americans of Achievement Collection II.
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999) VID BIO ROBESON PAUL (Mason Square): Presents the life and achievements of Paul Robeson, an athlete, actor, singer, and scholar. Narrated by Ossie Davis.
Sojourner Truth, Antislavery Activist (1992) VID BIO TRUTH SOJOURNE: Black historians and others comment on the life of Sojourner Truth, who was born a slave in New York state, freed by law in 1827, and went on to become a preacher and supporter of women's rights and antislavery. From the Black Americans of Achievement Collection.
Toni Morrison (1987) VID BIO MORRISON TONI: A profile of the novelist, author of Beloved.
Unforgivable blackness : the rise and fall of Jack Johnson (2005) DVD BIO JOHNSON JACK: Tells the story of Jack Johnson, who was the first African American boxer to win the most coveted title in all of sports - Heavyweight Champion of the World. Includes his struggles in and out of the ring and his desire to live his life as a free man.
Wilma Rudolph (1995) VID BIO RUDOLPH WILMA: Biography of the Olympic-medal-winning runner, Wilma Rudolph. From the American Women of Achievement Video Collection.

FEATURE FILMS

Ali (2001): Dramatic biography of boxing great Muhammad Ali, which focuses on the ten-year period of 1964-1974. Starring Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Voight; directed by Michael Mann. Rated R.
Amistad (1997): Chronicles the 1839 revolt on board a slave ship bound for America. Much of the story involves the court-room drama about the slave who led the revolt. Starring Morgan Freeman, Nigel Hawthorne, and Anthony Hopkins; directed by Steven Spielberg. Rated R.
Antwone Fisher (2002): Guided by a determined Navy psychiatrist, a troubled sailor embarks on a personal, emotionally inspiring journey to confront his past and connect with the family he never knew. Inspired by the true life experiences of Antwone Fisher. Starring Derek Luke, Joy Bryant, Denzel Washington; directed by Denzel Washington. Rated PG-13.
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1973): Presents the fictional story of the long life of Miss Jane Pittman, who began her life as a slave in the South and who marched for her civil rights in the 20th century at the age of 110. Based on the novel by Ernest J. Gaines. Starring Cicely Tyson, Richard A. Dysart, and Katherine Helmond; directed by John Korty. Made for TV. Not rated.
Beloved (1998): Based on the novel by Toni Morrison, in which a slave is visited by the spirit of her deceased daughter. Starring Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, and Thandie Newton; directed by Jonathan Demme. Rated R.
Brother to brother (2005) DVD BROTHER: Critically acclaimed drama that invokes the glory days of the Harlem Renaissance. As an elderly man, poet Bruce Nugent meets a young, black, gay artist struggling to find his voice, and together they embark on a journey through his inspiring past.
The Color purple (1985): Based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple is the richly-textured, decades-spanning story of Celie, an uneducated woman living in the rural American south. Forced to marry a brutal man she calls 'Mr., ' Celie turns inward and shares her grief only with God. But she is transformed by the friendship of two remarkable women, acquiring self-worth ... and the strength to forgive. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Adolph Caesar; directed by Steven Spielberg. Rated PG-13.
Cora Unashamed (2000): A town's lone African American woman is surrounded by social isolation and deep-seated racism while working as a housekeeper. Set in rural Iowa in the early 1900s, Cora is confronted with death, abortion and loneliness. Working as a domestic, she lives only for her daughter and the neglected child of her employers. Based on a story by Langstson Hughes. Starring Regina Taylor, Cherry Jones, Michael Gaston; directed by Deborah Pratt. Not rated.
Daughters of the dust (1991): A large African-American family prepares to move north at the dawn of the 20th century. Starring Cora Lee Day, Barbara-O, Cheryl Lynn Bruce;written and directed by Julie Dash. Not rated.
Ghosts of Mississippi (1996): The widow of murdered civil rights leader Medger Evers and a district attorney struggle to finally bring the murderer to justice. Starring Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and James Woods; directed by Rob Reiner. Rated PG-13.
Glory (1989): Story of soldiers in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, America's first black regiment in the Civil War. Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Denzel Washington). Also starring Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman; directed by Edward Zwick. Rated R.
The Hurricane (1999): The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence. Based on The 16th Round by Rubin Carter and Lazarus and the Hurricane by Sam Chaiton and Terry Swinton. Starring Denzel Washington, John Hannah, and Deborah Kara Unger; directed by Norman Jewison. Rated R.
The Long Walk Home (1990): Depicts the effects of the Montgomery bus boycott on two women: Miriam, a suburban housewife, and her housekeeper Odessa. Starring Whoopi Goldbery and Sissy Spacek; directed by Richard Pearce. Rated PG.
Malcolm X (1992): Inspiring story of Malcolm X, as he rises up from poverty, encounters the law, achieves spiritual enlightenment, and reaches out to others in the fight for human and civil rights. Based on The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley. Starring Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, and Albert Hall; directed by Spike Lee. Rated PG-13.
Miss Evers' Boys (1996): In 1932, Nurse Eunice Evers is invited to work with doctors on the "Tuskegee Experiment" to study the effects of syphilis. She is faced with a terrible dilemma when she learns the patients are denied treatment that could cure them. Starring Alfre Woodard, Laurence Fishburne, and Craig Sheffer; directed by Joseph Sargent. Rated PG.
Nothing but a man (1964): Duff, a railroad section hand is forced to confront prejudice and self- denial when he falls in love with Josie, an educated preacher's daughter. Starring Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln, Julius Harris; directed by Michael Roemer. Not rated.
Ray (2005): Ray Charles went blind at the age of seven. Inspired by his mother who insisted he make his own way, he found his calling at the keyboard. 'Ray' follows as he overcomes drug addiction while becoming one of the country's most beloved performers. Starring Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, and Regina King; directed by Taylor Hackford. Rated PG-13.
Rosewood (1997): In 1923 a black town in Florida was burned to the ground, its people murdered because of a lie. Some escaped and survived because of the courage and compassion of a few extraordinary people. Starring Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, and Don Cheadle; directed by John Singleton. Rated R.
A Soldier's Story (1984): A black army attorney is sent to Fort Neal near the end of WW II to investigate the murder of Sgt. Waters, a black man who despised his own roots. Based on the play by Charles Fuller. Starring Howard E. Rollins, Jr. and Adolph Caesar; directed by Norman Jewison. Rated PG.
Stormy Weather (1943): Thin story about a returning WWI vet who becomes a dancer is the backdrop for a cavalcade of great black musical stars from the Forties: Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, Zutty Singleton, Slam Stewart, and many more. Directed by Andrew Stone. Not rated.
Their Eyes Were Watching God (2005): A drama set in the 1920s, where free-spirited Janie Crawford's search for happiness leads her through several different marriages, challenging the mores of her small town. Based on the novel by Zora Neale Hurston. Starring Halle Berry, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Michael Ealy; directed by Darnell Martin. Rated TV14.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962): Two children in a small southern town are thrust into an adult world of racial bigotry and hatred when their lawyer father chooses to defend a black man unjustly accused of raping a white girl. Based on the novel by Harper Lee. Academy Awards for Gregory Peck, Best Actor, and Horton Foote, Best Screenplay. With Brock Peters, Robert Duvall, and Mary Badham; directed by Robert Mulligan. Not rated.
The Tuskegee Airmen (1995): It is 1943 and the Germans are winning the Second World War as the U.S. suffers huge losses on the ground and in the air. Four newly recruited pilots are united by a desire to serve their country, at a time when black flyers are not welcomed in the Air Force. Now, through the brutal demands of their training, to the perils of flying over nations at war, they must undertake the riskiest mission of their lives -- to prove to America that courage knows no color. Starring Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner; directed by Robert Markowitz. Made for TV. Rated PG-13.
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987): Harriet Beecher Stowe's timeless classic of slavery and survival in the Old South comes alive in this moving tribute to the strength of the human spirit. Starring Bruce Dern, Phylicia Rashad, and Avery Brooks; directed by Stan Lathen. Made for TV. Not rated.
A Woman Called Moses (1978): Dramatization of the life of Harriet Tubman, the founder of the Underground Railroad, who led hundreds of slaves to freedom before the Civil War. Starring Cicely Tyson, Will Geer, and Robert Hooks, directed by Paul Wendkos. Not rated.
Zou Zou (1934): A star walks out on her sugardaddy producer for true love, and a talented Cinderella takes her place, saves the show and is hailed as a new sensation opening night. Starring Josephine Baker, Jean Gabin, Yvette Lebon; directed by Marc Allegret. Not rated.

FILMS FOR CHILDREN

The House of Dies Drear (1984) (East Springfield, Liberty, Mason Square): A story about the secrets walled within an old house reaches back to the days of slavery and underground railroads. Based on the book by Virginia Hamilton. Starring Howard Rollins, Jr., Moses Gunn, and Shavar Ross; directed by Allan Goldstein.
Our Friend, Martin (1998) JVID OUR: Authentic historical footage is blended with colorful animations as students learn about the civil rights leader who challenged all Americans to turn his dream of freedom into reality. Featuring Ed Asner, Angela Bassett, and Lucas Black. Rated G.
The Quest for Freedom (1992) VID 973 Q: Ben, a young man of our own times, enters a mysterious library and suddenly he's trapped in the past - a slave on a plantation with Harriet Tubman. With Summer Selby, David King, and Reg Grant; written and directed by Fred Holmes. Not rated.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1978) JVID ROLL OF: In Mississippi, during the Great Depression of the 1930's, the Logans are one of the few black families who own their own land. Nine-year-old Cassie Logan doesn't understand why her parents attach so much importance to this, any more than she understands the Night Riders -- white men who terrorize her people. Based on the book by Mildred D. Taylor. Starring Claudia McNeil and Janet MacLachlan; directed by Jack Smight. Made for TV. Rated PG.
The Rosa Parks Story (2001) JVID ROSA and JDVD ROSA: Dramatic biography of Rosa McCauley Parks, who in 1955 created the spark that began the modern Civil Rights Movement. Starring Angela Bassett, Peter Francis James, and Cicely Tyson; directed by Julie Dash. Made for TV. Not rated.
Selma, Lord, Selma (2000) JVID SELMA (Brightwood, East Forest Park, Liberty): In 1965, during the turbulent early days of the right-to-vote movement, a young Alabama schoolgirl is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to resist the degradation that her fellow African Americans are suffering. Based on the book by Sheyann Webb and Rachel West Nelson as told to Frank Sikora. Starring Mackenzie Astin, Jurnee Smollett, and Clifton Powell; directed by Charles Burnett. Made for TV. Not rated.
Sounder (1972) (C/WMARS): Tthe heartwarming story of a black sharecropper family in Louisiana during the Depression. From the novel by William H. Armstrong. Starring Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, and Kevin Hooks; directed by Martin Ritt. Rated G.
Thank You, Jackie Robinson (1977) JVID 791.4572 AFTER SC Thank yo (Mason Square): A young boy tries to get a baseball autographed by Jackie Robinson for an elderly African American cook who shares his love of baseball and the Dodgers. Starring Ronnie Scribner, Anne Gee Byrd, and Charles Lampkin; directed by Robert Lieberman. Made for TV.

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