ART108 / HUM108 - Black Images in Popular Culture: Swank Motion Pictures

Hero is a word we hear often in sports, but heroism is not always about achievements on the field of play. “42” tells the story of two men—the great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickey—whose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseball’s infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickey’s hopes. Instead, Number 42 let his talent on the field do the talking—ultimately winning over fans and his teammates, silencing his critics, and paving the way for others to follow.

Based on the true story of a reluctant partnership between civil rights activist Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis, the leader of the Ku Klux Klan, who came together to discuss the issue of racial desegregation of schools in 1971 Durham, North Carolina, which eventually lead to surprising outcomes for them and the entire community.

A black detective sets out to infiltrate the Colorado chapter of the Ku Klux Klan with the help of his Jewish colleague. In the midst of the 1970s civil rights movement, they risk their lives to obtain insider information on the violent organization.

This documentary presents archival footage of notable civil-rights activists like Angela Davis, Eldridge Cleaver and Stokely Carmichael, as well as recent interviews with artists and historians on the Black Power movement.

A young Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (Jeffrey Wright) organizes the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery, Ala. Rev. Abernathy: Terrence Howard. Coretta: Carmen Ejogo. Rosa Parks: Iris Little-Thomas. E.D. Nixon: Reg E. Cathey. Rustin: Erik Todd Dellums. Directed by Clark Johnson.

A former slave-turned-hired gun teams up with a German bounty hunter in order to free his wife from a tyrannical plantation owner. However, their mission is complicated by the plantation's traitorous house slave.

Adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a black garbage collector in 1950s Pittsburgh named Troy Maxson. Bitter about his lot in life, Maxson frequently takes out his frustrations on his loved ones.

In Universal Pictures’ Get Out, a speculative thriller from Blumhouse (producers of The Visit, Insidious series and The Gift) and the mind of Jordan Peele, when a young African-American man visits his white girlfriend’s family estate, he becomes ensnared in a more sinister real reason for the invitation.

Denzel Washington directed and stars in this uplifting true story, which chronicles the rise of a debate team at a small all-black college in Texas during the 1930s. Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Forest Whitaker.

Bouncer Tony Lip is hired by African-American musician Don Shirley to chauffer him around the Jim Crow South in 1962 for an eight-week concert tour. The mismatched men form a friendship as Tony learns first-hand the racism Don must endure to perform.

A débutante in 1960s Mississippi sends her community into an uproar by conducting a series of probing interviews with the black female servants of the area's most-prominent families.

A black butler working at the White House serves eight U.S. presidents over the course of three decades, and finds his personal life deeply affected by the sweeping social changes he witnesses from his prestigious job.

ften misunderstood, Malcolm X was one of the leading forces of the United States' Civil Rights Movement. He inspired many--and frightened many--but is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest men of his era. This riveting biography directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington in an Academy Award-nominated performance reveals the man at the center of a storm of change.

A young couple's first date hits a snag when a local police officer pulls them over, citing a traffic infraction as the cause. However, things soon go awry as tensions escalate, resulting in the death of the officer. The young couple hit the road, on the run from the law after the media vilifies them for the episode. Their story sparks divisive responses across the country.

A black family living in a cramped Chicago tenement in the 1940s have the opportunity to improve their social standing via an insurance-policy check, but are in disagreement about how best to spend the windfall. Lorraine Hansberry adapted the script from her hit Broadway play.

The marches from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery to secure voting rights for black Americans are depicted in this docudrama set during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, and which focuses on the actions of Martin Luther King Jr.

The story of Emmett Louis Till and the legacy of his mother who pursued justice for her lynched son.

Every year in Oakland, CA, hundreds of pre-K through 12th grade students compete in the Martin Luther King Oratorical Festival, performing a mix of published and original poetry and speeches. Directed by Emmy® Award winner Amy Schatz and produced by her along with Emmy® Award winner Diane Kolyer, We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest chronicles the months leading up to the finals of the 40th annual festival, as schools across the city send their top-placing individuals and groups to compete in the event. Showcasing a multitude of talented and diverse student voices, the 57-minute film follows the contestants from rehearsals at home and in their classrooms through district semifinals and, ultimately, to the finals where they perform in front of hundreds, speaking from the heart and paying tribute to the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Heartwarming and inspiring, We Are the Dream presents a portrait of passionate young people presenting speeches on issues they care about – racial injustice, immigration and more – and a community that celebrates their powerful voices.