Category: Black Joy

Nothing like hearing or watching a great story! While I may have finished my formal educational training, I am always open to learning and becoming more informed about the history and experiences of Black Americans. So continuing in the vein of Black History Month celebrations just wanted to share a few television specials and documentaries to check out! This set of television specials and documentaries range from civil rights icons, to origins of gospel music, to exploring the racial wealth gap, to Black war heroes, to being Black in space!

Shuttlesworth (PBS): This feature-length documentary explores the life and legacy of perhaps the most fearless leader of the Civil Rights Movement—Birmingham’s Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. When the KKK planted a bomb underneath his bed and he emerged unharmed, he was sure he was saved by God to lead a Movement. His work lead directly to the Civil and Voting Rights Acts—and inspired freedom movements around the world. You can check out the full documentary here!

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The Harlem Hellfighters (HISTORY Channel): The Harlem Hellfighters documents the hard fighting regiment of Black soldiers, who battled shocking racism at home and abroad while fighting the Germans in World War I. The Hellfighters, who saw more time on the frontlines than any other American regiment, were initially heralded upon their return only to quickly be discarded by the Army and country they served so valiantly. This one-hour documentary tells the important story of this courageous group, who included bandleader James Reese Europe and Purple Heart winner Henry Johnson. Their extreme bravery earned them the French regimental Croix de Guerre a century before the U.S. finally recognized their contributions to the war effort with a Congressional Gold Medal.

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Our America: In the Black (Hulu): This docu-series follows Microsoft Philanthropic specialist, Darrell Booker, who is on a mission to close the racial wealth gap through his digital inclusion movement in the hopes of economically transforming communities and small businesses that are impacted by economic inequalities. Watch the full episode here!

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The Space Race (NatGeo, Hulu, Disney+): THE SPACE RACE weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others. In this documentary it profiles the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a fresh history to explore. THE SPACE RACE debuts on February 12th.

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Gospel (PBS): From the blues to hip hop, African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. Musical styles come and go, but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday. GOSPEL, the latest history series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality.

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Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story (Hulu): Here is a documentary that explores the intersection of childhood and adulthood through the eyes of young, Black high school youth from around the world as they work beyond society’s imposed limitations to achieve a top-notch education at America’s oldest African-American boarding school. Sacred Soil is set to debut February 23 on Hulu.

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As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial (Paramount+): Directed by filmmaker J.M. Harper, As We Speak features Bronx rap artist Kemba who explores the growing weaponization of rap lyrics in the United States criminal justice system and abroad – revealing how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades. Journeying through meccas of hip-hop, building the case for rap lyrics & Black artist protection via intimate conversations with rappers, academics, politicians, legal experts, and industry execs.