40+ Black Stories to Watch this Month (Streaming List)

After last year's awakening, several businesses scrambled to amplify Black voices and I'm interested to see how and if this continues. Telling Black stories loudly and truthfully is only one piece of solving the puzzle that white supremacy created but it's a powerful one. Black stories are important. They explore and illuminate our humanity. The same humanity that has been ignored and even denied throughout history. Since we're all at home more and you've likely exhausted the "Black Lives Matter" sections of your favorite streaming platforms, I thought I'd share a list of 40+ films & TV shows to watch from Black storytellers during Black History Month 2021 and for years to come.

Black TV Shows to Watch in 2021

Atlanta (2016) available on Hulu
Black Hollywood: They've Gotta Have Us (2018) available on Netflix
Black-ish (2014) available on ABC and Hulu
Dear White People (2017) available on Netflix
Girlfriends (2000) available on Netflix
Fifty (2017) available on Netflix
Hip Hop Evolution (2016) available on Netflix
Insecure (2016) available on HBO
Lorena (2019) available on Amazon Prime
Lovecraft Country (2020) available on HBO
Lupin (2021) available on Netflix
Pose (2018) available on Netflix
The Chi (2018) available on Hulu and Showtime
The Shop (2018) available on HBO
The Twilight Zone Revival (2019) available on CBS All Access
Queen Sugar (2016) available on Hulu

A ridiculously short time ago, Black ownership in Hollywood was unheard of. Hollywood is a notoriously white-centering and white-owned space. Remember #Oscarssowhite? That tide has turned. Black-owned production companies, Black directors, Black producers, Black animators, and Black show runners are making their marks in a big way and telling stories that go beyond Black trauma and American slavery. Up next, 26 Black movies to stream.

Movies from Black Creators

Becoming (2020) available on Netflix.
Black is King (2020) available on Disney+
Blackkklansman (2018) available on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and YouTube
Get Out (2017) available on Amazon Prime
Favela Rising (2005) available on Amazon Prime
For Colored Girls (2010) available on Hulu
Half of a Yellow Sun (2013) available on Amazon Prime
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) available on Amazon Prime and Hulu
Jezebel (2019) available on Netflix
Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) available on HBO February 12th
Malcolm & Marie (2021) available on Netflix February 5th
Moonlight (2016) available on Netflix
Namaste Wahala (2021) available on Netflix February 14th
One Night in Miami (2021) available on Amazon Prime
Pelo Malo available on Amazon Prime and YouTube
Queen & Slim (2019) available on HBO and Hulu
Roll With Me (2020) available on Netflix
Selma (2014) available on Amazon Prime and YouTube
Soul (2020) available on Disney+
Straight Outta Compton (2015) available on Amazon Prime
Sylvie's Love (2020) available on Amazon Prime
The Black Godfather (2019) available on Netflix
The Burial of Kojo (2018) available on Netflix
They Are We (2015) available on Amazon Prime
Ventos de Agosto available on Google Play and YouTube
What's My Name: Muhammad Ali (2019) available on HBO

This (not nearly exhaustive) list includes Black films and TV shows to watch in 2021 from Ava Duvernay's Array, Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions, LeBron James' Springhill Entertainment, and Tyler Perry Studios just to name a few. In addition to Black stories to watch, I included a few titles that don't center Black folks in order to show the versatility of Black filmmakers and creators. There are also movies and TV shows that explore intersections in Black identities.

This list of Black films and shows to stream should fill up your queue through BHM 2021 and there are many more out there so don't stop here. Feel free to add your Black movie recommendations in the comments below. Sharing is caring so be sure to pin this Black History Month streaming list on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!