Lifting Black Voices: 22 Black History Movies and Documentaries on Hulu

February is Black History Month, and Hulu is proud to continue bringing Black stories to the forefront with a curated collection of movies, TV shows, historical biopics, and documentaries — not just this month, but all year round. 

Learn more about the Black icons who changed the course of history with biopic series like Genius: MLK/X and The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and celebrate Black culture with documentaries like The Summer of Soul and The Hair Tales. 

Check out these essential Black history movies, documentaries, and more streaming now on Hulu. 

Black History Movies and Documentaries on Hulu

Genius: MLK/X

The newest installment of National Geographic’s Emmy AwardⓇ–winning Genius series highlights the lives and legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Discover how their formative years led both civil rights icons to change the course of history.

Watch: Genius: MLK/X

Hidden Figures (2016)

Hidden Figures recounts the true story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — three brilliant, Black NASA mathematicians who became the unsung heroes of the Space Race in the early 1960s. 

Watch: Hidden Figures*

*Hidden Figures is available with The Disney Bundle. Access content from each service separately.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)

Based on the 1971 novel of the same name by author Ernest J. Gaines and inspired by true events, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman chronicles the fictional story of Jane Pittman (Cicely Tyson), who was born into slavery during the Civil War. 

Discover more movies and shows based on books streaming now on Hulu. 

Watch: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman*

*Live TV plan required to watch live content on Hulu. Regional restrictions, blackouts, and additional terms apply.

Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)

Oscar®-winning actor, Daniel Kaluuya, stars as Black Panther Party chairman, Fred Hampton, in Judas and the Black Messiah — which is based on true events surrounding the government infiltration of the Illinois Black Panther organization in the late 1960s. 

Watch: Judas and the Black Messiah 

The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)

Discover the story of Billie Holiday, a jazz icon and civil rights activist who was targeted by the federal government as part of its efforts to escalate and racialize the war on drugs.

The Hulu Original film, led by Oscar®-nominated director, Lee Daniels, and starring Grammy®-nominated singer-songwriter, Andra Day, captures the essence of Holiday and her life, legacy, and voice that wouldn’t be silenced. 

Watch: The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Women of the Movement

Based on a true story, Women of the Movement follows Mamie Till-Mobley and her fight for justice after the brutal murder of her son in 1955. Rather than suffer in silence, Mamie put herself in the spotlight and sparked a civil rights movement that changed history. 

Watch: The Women of the Movement

The 1619 Project

This six-part Hulu Original docuseries covers democracy, race, music, capitalism, fear, and justice. In conjunction with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and The New York Times, The 1619 Project highlights the undeniable contributions of Black Americans in an effort to rightfully reframe America’s story.

Watch: The 1619 Project

MLK/FBI (2020)

Based on newly declassified files, MLK/FBI explores the U.S. government’s harassment and surveillance of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. Using archival footage of MLK from the year 1955 to 1968, when he was assassinated, this true-crime documentary investigates the events leading up to his untimely death.

Watch: MLK/FBI

Summer of Soul (2021)

Just 100 miles south of the infamous Woodstock location lies Mount Morris Park — the birthplace of the Harlem Cultural Festival. Unlike any other, this festival was an annual celebration of Black culture and was full of music, dancing, food, and unity. 

This documentary film explores never-before-seen footage from the biggest Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, spotlighting the men and women of the movement.

Watch: Summer of Soul 

Amazing Grace (2018)

Aretha Franklin deserves our r-e-s-p-e-c-t, and this film uncovers exactly why.

Amazing Grace tells Franklin’s story as a civil rights activist and gospel music icon through real, archived footage. Transport yourself back in time to the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California, where she recorded one of her most famous albums, Amazing Grace, in 1972.

Watch: Amazing Grace*

*Amazing Grace is available on Hulu with a Max® add-on subscription.

Freedom on My Mind (1994)

The Mississippi Voter Registration Project — aka Freedom Summer — was a grassroots effort to increase the number of Black registered voters in the state of Mississippi in the 1960s. Freedom on My Mind takes an emotional look at that specific moment in time, using real archived footage to show how far we’ve come and how far we’ve yet to go. 

Watch: Freedom on My Mind*

*Live TV plan required to watch live content on Hulu. Regional restrictions, blackouts, and additional terms apply.

The League (2023)

Although most Negro League teams disbanded by 1960, racism in professional sports is still prevelant today. Discover the stories of the Negro League through remarkable archived footage and interviews with legendary players in the documentary, The League. 

Watch: The League

Black Ice (2022)

Executive producers LeBron James and Drake bring us Black Ice — a sports documentary chronicling racism in hockey. Starting from the formation of the Colored Hockey League in 1895 to the first Black athlete to play in the NHL in 1958, discover the untold stories of Black hockey players, past and present, navigating a predominantly white sport. 

Watch: Black Ice

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (2022)

Forever known as the Queen of Gospel, Mahalia Jackson’s story is impactful and inspiring. Learn more about Jackson and gospel music in this biopic film about her life and legacy. 

Watch: Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story

The Loving Story (2012)

It’s true when they say “love conquers all,” especially when it comes to the history-changing relationship between Richard and Mildred Loving — an interracial couple living in 1960s Virginia whose supreme court case struck down interracial marriage laws across the U.S. 

Learn more about Loving vs. Virginia in the documentary, The Loving Story, streaming now on Hulu with the MAXⓇ add-on. 

Watch: The Loving Story*

*The Loving Story is available on Hulu with a Max® add-on subscription.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Based on the 1853 autobiography by Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave is the film adaptation of Northup’s life as he recounts being kidnapped as a free man in New York and sold into slavery. This emotionally powerful story serves as an important narrative on the history of racial injustice, encouraging viewers to reflect on the effects of racism in the present day. 

Watch: 12 Years a Slave

More Black Stories on Hulu

Aftershock (2022)

This is the story of two Black mothers who died preventable deaths during childbirth. Their families have set out to shed light on the maternal health crisis in the U.S. and advocate for healthcare equality for Black women. 

Watch: Aftershock

The Hair Tales

From executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Michaela Angela Davis comes The Hair Tales — a six-part docuseries celebrating identity, beauty, and culture through the raw, emotional, and personal stories of Black women. 

Watch: The Hair Tales

The Conversations Project

No topic is off limits on The Conversations Project. From wokeness and masculinity to discussing what it means to be a leader versus an influencer, sit down with incredible athletes, artists, entertainers, and philosophers to discuss important life topics through the lens of the Black experience. 

Watch: The Conversations Project

Unexpected

Activists and heroes, Masonia Traylor and Ciarra “Ci Ci” Covin lead an underground network of women helping women cope, survive, and thrive after an HIV diagnosis. This is their story.

Watch: Unexpected

Crime + Punishment (2018)

The arrest quotas New York City police are pressured to abide by are doing more harm than good, especially for the minority community. A group of whistleblower NYC cops coined the “NYPD 12” is standing up for what’s right in the Hulu Original documentary, Crime + Punishment. 

Watch: Crime + Punishment

Your Attention Please

Interested in learning about Black innovators and creators who are working to leave the world better than they found it? Join actor and comedian Craig Robinson on a “journey of epic Blackness,” and discover the inspiring stories of today’s Black leaders who are taking charge and making a difference. 

All three seasons of Your Attention Please are streaming now on Hulu.

Watch: Your Attention Please

We’re all about elevating and amplifying Black voices — and we’re always adding great content to the Black Stories Hub. Check it out for more titles to stream now. 

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