22 DOCUMENTARIES ON BLACK WOMEN

SOURCE: SHADOWANDACT.COM

1 — “Free Angela & All Political Prisoners” (2013)

2 — “Chisholm ’72: Unbought and Unbossed” (2004)

3 — “Audre Lorde – The Berlin Years 1984 to 1992” (2012)

4 — “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai” (2008)

5 — “Beah: A Black Woman Speaks” (2003)

6 — “Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun” (2008)

7 — “Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth” (2013)

8 — “Moms Mabley: I Got Somethin’ to Tell You” (2013)

9 — “Queen Nanny: Legendary Maroon Chieftainess” (2015)

10 — “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise” (2016)

11 — “T-Rex” (2016)

12 — “A Ballerina’s Tale” (2015)

A feature documentary on African American ballerina Misty Copeland that examines her prodigious rise, her potentially career ending injury alongside themes of race and body image in the elite ballet world.

13 — “Iron Ladies of Liberia” (2007)

14 — “The Real Shirley Bassey” (2001)

15 — “Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee” (2014)

See descriptions of each one here: 
http://shadowandact.com/2017/03/28/15-documentaries-about-black-women-to-watch-as-womens-history-month-comes-to-an-end/

MORE DOCUMENATARIES

16-  Nina Simone:  "What Happened, Miss Simone?"  (Netflix)

I had already put the "Strong Black Woman" stereotype away as far as being something I aspired to. But this really put the nails in Strong Black Woman's coffin for me. I highly recommend watching this one.

17-  Ruby McCollum: "You Belong To Me"  (Amazon Prime)

Though this documentary is far from perfect. I might buy it to add to my black history collection.  

McCollum's story takes place during a period not talked about too much in Black History books except for the Black Renaissance. But it would have been better if black women had total control of producing it. I stopped and started it a few times to make sure I had a full picture of what was happening during the police investigation.  However, you'll get the full picture of what happened after this black woman killed a white doctor in a southern town in the 1950s if you know your black history and can read between the lines. You'll also have a better understanding of what black women were/are going through between the end of slavery to the end of The Civil Rights Movement and beyond.

McCollum's son speaks about his mother, in very sexist terms, at the very end of the documentary. But his attempt to defend (the white doctor or his father or men in general)  doesn't take away from the story that's told.  (Last seen on Amazon Prime)

18- Fannie Lou Hamer - "This Little Light Of Mine" (???)

(I've seen a very short documentary on Hamer. I'm pretty sure this is not it. It looks like it's been praised quite a bit and is being sold to schools. If your kid says they're showing it at their school, make sure you go "visit" that day because it's expensive if it's not on Netflix or Hulu.)

19-  "All Jokes Aside: Black Women In Comedy"  (New From VH1)

This features a host of talented ladies—including Martin’s Tichina Arnold and Insecure‘s Yvonne Orji—discussing how they deal with racism, sexism and the lack of representation in the industry. - 
http://people.com/tv/black-women-in-comedy-documentary-vh1/

20- "Venus and Serena"  (NETFLIX)

"Ever since Venus and Serena Williams started playing in tennis tournaments, they've provoked strong reactions - from awe and admiration to suspicion and resentment. They've been winning championships for over a decade, pushing the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. How long can they last? In Venus & Serena, we gain unprecedented access into their lives during the most intimidating year of their career. Over the course of 2011, Venus grappled with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease while Serena battled back from a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Neither Venus nor Serena let their adversities hold them back. They drew their greatest strength from each other."  

  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2376024/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl

21.  The Rape Of Recy Taylor (DVD)

Mrs. Recy Taylor was gang raped by six white boys in 1944 Alabama. Unbroken, she spoke up and fought for justice with help from Rosa Parks and legions of women.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6116682/

22. "Being Serena"  (HBO)

     Being Serena is a documentary series chronicling tennis icon Serena Williams at a pivotal moment in her personal and professional life.
     Produced by HBO Sports and IMG’s Original Content group, Being Serena provides viewers unprecedented access to Williams during her pregnancy, new motherhood and marriage, while documenting her journey back to supremacy on the court. The intimate first-person show delves into her landmark career, family life and expanding role as a businesswoman and investor in the worlds of tech, fashion, fitness and philanthropy.
     Serena Williams, 36, is one of the most dominant forces tennis has ever seen, with 39 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic Gold Medals and the most women’s singles match victories in Grand Slam history. Her supremacy on the court earned her Sports Illustrated’s Sportsperson of the Year honors in 2015 and made her a four-time winner of the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, first in 2002 and most recently in 2015...

https://www.hbo.com/content/hboweb/en/being-serena/about.html

DOCUMENTARIES ARE CHEAP AND EASY HISTORY

find a one to watch this year

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