Entertainment

5 Movies & TV Shows From Netflix's Black Lives Matter Section You Need To Watch

Beyoncé 'Homecoming' on Netflix (via Netflix press site)
Courtesy of Parkwood Entertainment

People around the world have been asking how to educate themselves about the Black community in light of the recent wave of Black Lives Matter protests, and Netflix is helping people do just that. Netflix launched a Black Lives Matter section on Wednesday, June 10. The section consists of films, TV shows, and documentaries, which are meant to shine a light on the experience of Black Americans and help subscribers understand their history and struggles. A majority of the titles were also directed by Black directors, or created by Black writers.

The collection includes popular Netflix originals and outside titles alike, including TV series like Pose and Orange Is the New Black, narrative films like American Son and Mudbound, and informative documentaries such as 13th and Malcolm X. "When we say 'Black Lives Matter,' we also mean 'Black storytelling matters'," Netflix wrote on Twitter to announce the collection. "With an understanding that our commitment to true, systemic change will take time – we're starting by highlighting powerful and complex narratives about the Black experience."

The selection is available through Netflix's main menu when signing into the app, or at netflix.com/blacklivesmatter, and comprises of titles that "only begin to tell the complex and layered stories about racial injustice and Blackness in America," according to a separate tweet from Netflix. Here are some of the highlights from this all-important collection.

When They See Us

From Oscar-nominated director Ava DuVernay, When They See Us tells the story of the Exonerated Five, a group of five Black men who were imprisoned for years after being falsely convicted of brutally attacking a woman in Central Park. The limited series underscores how the justice system is inherently biased against Black people, and went on to receive 11 Emmy nominations.

Moonlight

Moonlight is known to many as the film that actually won the Oscar for Best Picture instead of La La Land. But the film's importance goes way beyond one funny Oscar anecdote. From director Barry Jenkins, Moonlight follows Chiron, a Black man, in three different stages of his life as he struggles with accepting his sexuality and processing the abuse he went through as a child. It was the first film fully starring an all Black cast to win Best Picture.

Dear White People

Yes, Dear White People is indeed directly aimed at the people who need to learn and listen the most. The dramedy series, based in part off the movie of the same name, follows several Black students at a mostly white Ivy League institution, giving a look into how race issues and relations unfold at what is advertised to be one of the most inclusive places in the world. Come for the humor, stay for the multi-faceted education.

LA 92

The National Geographic documentary LA 92 reveals previously unseen footage from the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which erupted when four police officers were acquitted after they were caught on film beating Rodney King, a Black man. For those who want to know the history of the role of protests and riots in fighting racial injustice in the police system, look no further.

Homecoming

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé captures the superstar's historic performance at Coachella, which made her the festival's first Black female headliner. By weaving her entire concert with behind-the-scenes clips and explanations of the show's Black collegiate symbolism, it paints a picture of why her Coachella set was so important to the Black community. Plus, you get to watch Beyoncé and her giant marching band effortlessly master the art of performing. What's better?