In 2011, director Tate Taylor wanted to adapt the novel by Kathryn Stockett called The Help. The novel is about an aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s who decides to write a book detailing the African American maids’ point of view on the white families for which they work and the hardships they go through on a daily basis. The film got much praise, and I’ve curated ten movies like it for your expanding watch list.
The film showed just how poorly they were treated with microaggressions every single day. This one author steps in and behind to understand the dynamic within the households in suburban areas. Once the book was released, the white women were exposed for their horrible behavior, and all it took was for someone to put pen to paper and listen.
The films listed below are educational and inspiring. They explore the lives of many African Americans who fought for a better life and fought against a broken system.
Hidden Figures (2016)
This is the story of a team of female African-American mathematicians, Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. They were the unsung heroes that many didn’t know about while they studied history.
Fences (2016)
Denzel Washington adapted August Wilson’s play of the same name and received accolades for it as well. A working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s while coming to terms with the events of his life. It is an incredible screenplay, and Hollywood giants like Washington and Viola Davis put on an acting showcase in this film.
Selma (2014)
Early on in Ava DuVernay’s career, she received hordes of praise for her work on Selma. This is the chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965.
One Night in Miami… (2020)
Regina King’s directorial debut was nothing short of incredible. This is a fictional account written by Kemp Powers of one night when icons Muhammad Ali (Eli Goree), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) gathered to discuss their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the ’60s. It takes place in one hotel room, and their conversations about their place in the world are educational.
The Colour Purple (1985)
Alice Walker wrote about what life was like in the American South. It is probably one of the most important books that has been written. Steven Spielberg wanted to adapt the novel, and his film garnered critical acclaim. The film is about a black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades. The film stars Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey.
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman are a duo in Driving Miss Daisy that opens your eyes to the dynamic in the South. An old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years. This pair go through life together and get to know one another, which changes their dynamic as they learn more about each other.
Philadelphia (1993)
From director Jonathan Demme comes a powerful story about a man with HIV who is fired by his law firm. This was definitely an important topic in America during the 90s, and it was important to address it at the time. Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) hires a homophobic small-time lawyer, Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), as the only willing advocate for a wrongful dismissal suit.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Will Smith and Jaden Smith are the father/son duo that brought audiences to tears in The Pursuit of Happyness. A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he’s poised to begin a life-changing professional career. His determination to move up the corporate ladder and live a better life for his son is inspiring.
Till (2022)
The story of Emmett Till is tragic and devastating. Director Chinonye Chukwu pulls a brilliant performance from Danielle Deadwyler, who plays Till’s mother, Mamie. In 1955, after Emmett Till was murdered in a brutal lynching, his mother vowed to expose the racism behind the attack while working to have those involved brought to justice. Cukwu doesn’t shy away from the brutal images that circulated at the time. It was shown because it was necessary, no matter how difficult it was to see.
Loving (2016)
The story of Richard and Mildred Loving (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga) is about a couple whose arrest for interracial marriage in 1960s Virginia began a legal battle that would end with the Supreme Court’s historic 1967 decision. All it takes is one person to make a change, and in most of these cases, they start a ripple effect to enforce massive change.
Do you have any other recommendations for movies like The Help? Let us know in the comments.
