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The Thanksgiving holiday has always been about more than just breaking bread over a twisted American history. The holiday focus is really about being in community with loved ones while building connections and lasting memories.
One thing folks can count on during Thanksgiving is gathering around the TV and watching some of the best Black cinema Hollywood has offered. The following ten Black films and biopics are ideal for the holiday
The Wiz (1978)
The Wiz is a soulful urban retelling of The Wizard of Oz with Diana Ross playing the role as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Richard Pryor as the Wiz, Lena Horne as the good witch and Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man, among others. The film premiered in October 1978 as a visually striking work that deeply embraced Black cultural elements while traveling from Harlem to an imaginative Oz. The movie’s exploration of home, community bonds and personal growth, aligns perfectly with Thanksgiving values which honor gratitude and togetherness.
Soul Food (1997)
Soul Food is a family drama about the Joseph sisters and their matriarch Irma P. Hall. The film takes place in Chicago where the family members come together to share meals. The film uses Thanksgiving as a major theme to examine death, family bonding, crisis and reconciliation, alongside
food traditions.
The Color Purple (1985)
The Color Purple features Whoopi Goldberg alongside Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery. The film shows a Black woman who finds strength through faith and female bonds while living in rural Georgia. The movie creates an emotional impact through its exploration of abuse, gender, race, resilience and spiritual development and intergenerational recovery which makes it suitable for family viewing,
The New Edition Story (2017)
The New Edition Story is a miniseries that follows the members of New Edition from childhood friends in Boston to R&B superstars navigating fame, rivalry and brotherhood. The three-part biopic features actors who portray the characters at different ages and launches from New Edition’s hometown in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The New Edition Story aired in January 2017 and held audience’s captivated for weeks. It’s an ideal family watch for the holiday.
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (2020)
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel is a biographical film that chronicles the journey of gospel celebrities, the Clark Sisters (Jacky, Twinkie, Denise, Dorinda, and Karen), who is portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis, Kierra Sheard, Raven Goodwin, and others. The film tells the story of how the Clark Sisters became gospel legends despite facing personal challenges and church opposition. The film debuted in April 2020 and shows scenes from Detroit and other places where the sisters grew up and ministered. The movie makes an excellent Thanksgiving choice because it centers on themes of faith, family and unity.
Baadasssss! (2003)
The movie Baadasssss! (2003) depicts Melvin Van Peebles’ struggle to create the groundbreaking independent Black film Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. The film features Mario Van Peebles, Nia Long, Ossie Davis, and David Alan Grier in a New York and Hollywood setting that depicts Peebles early filmmaking and social challenges of its time. The film serves as a tribute to the determination and artistic vision needed to create art and suits families interested in Black cultural history and film entrepreneurship.
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
The Preacher’s Wife tells a heartwarming story about an angel who assists a preacher in need of help with his faith and marital struggles. The Thanksgiving themes of love, community, and redemption match perfectly with the spirit of gratitude and family gatherings.
Are We There Yet? (2005)
Are We There Yet? is a family road-trip comedy starring Ice Cube, Nia Long, Aleisha Allen, and Philip Daniel Bolden. The film follows a man who drives his love interest’s kids on a cross-country trip filled with hilarious mishaps. The movie debuted in January 2005 and makes a great choice for children.
Wu-Tang: An American Saga (2019–2023)
Wu-Tang: An American Saga features Ashton Sanders as RZA, Siddiq Saunderson as Ghostface, TJ Atoms as ODB, and Shameik Moore as Raekwon. The show depicts the creation of the Wu-Tang Clan along with the challenges each member faced. The series takes place in Staten Island, New York, during the early 1990s. The show makes for a perfect Thanksgiving film for music lovers and hip-hop fans.
The Five Heartbeats (1991)
The Five Heartbeats is a musical drama that was inspired by real Black R&B groups of the 1960s. The film has become a Thanksgiving Day staple. The movie stars Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Harry Lennix, and Leon. The film was released in March 1991 and takes place during the rise of Black musical groups in the Motown era. The film explores themes of music, brotherhood, and triumph, making it a family classic that resonates with audiences of all ages.
RELATED CONTENT: 8 Non-Traditional Ways To Spend Thanksgiving Day
Uhoh. Everyone’s favorite clown spirit creature demon is back, and he’s looking as devious as ever. Is there a clown with a more signature vibe than Pennywise? We don’t think so. And so we really have to commend Welcome to Derry‘s restraint, holding back on giving us a good look at Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise until episode five of the series. But now that he’s out and about, he’s OUT AND ABOUT. In a fun new timelapse video, HBO takes us behind the scenes of this incredible process. And we’re adding it to the shelf of video transformations we love, including Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul and Jacob Elordi’s Frankenstein‘s Monster. You can watch Bill Skarsgård transform into Pennywise in the video below.
HBO Shares a Timelapse Video of Bill Skarsgård’s Transformation Into Welcome to Derry‘s Pennywise
Rise, Pennywise nation. It’s your time. Bill Skarsgård is once again transforming into Pennywise the Clown in IT: Welcome to Derry, and you can watch it happening in this awesome video. Skarsgård has played Pennywise in IT, IT: Chapter Two, and now It: Welcome to Derry. This transformation into the clown demon must be old hat for him. But it still wows us every time.
Physical transformations, such as Bill Skarsgård’s into Pennywise, work much better than CGI, if you ask us. The careful crafting of layers, upon layers of prosthetics, followed by meticulous makeup and paint work, really makes all the difference in letting the actor inhabit the nefarious role. And when he finally grins as Pennywise. CHILLS. 100%. There’s just something hypnotic about this Pennywise transformation video. And even though you know he’s evil, you can’t help but be pulled into that face. We’d be Pennywise snacks for sure.
Pennywise Has Finally Arrived on Welcome to Derry
Pennywise’s first appearance in Welcome to Derry sure was a bloody one. And we bet he’s just getting started. But even still, we will sit enthralled and watch Bill Skarsgård transform into Pennywise again and again.
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Native American Heritage Month, celebrated each November, offers a powerful opportunity to honor the history, cultures, and contributions of Native American communities. While this month focuses on the experiences of Indigenous people, it also presents a meaningful moment to explore the often-overlooked connections between Native Americans and Black Americans.
Throughout U.S. history, these two groups have shared significant struggles, from the fight against enslavement and colonialism to the ongoing battle for justice and recognition. By reflecting on their intertwined histories, we can better understand the resilience that has shaped both communities.
The histories of Native Americans and Black Americans have shared experiences of displacement, oppression, and resistance. Although often viewed separately in mainstream narratives, their connections date back centuries and reflect a common struggle in the face of colonialism and systemic racism.
The first encounters between Native Americans and Black Americans in North America occurred in the early 17th century, as the transatlantic slave trade brought millions of Africans to the Americas. While some Black people were enslaved, others, particularly those who escaped, sought refuge with Indigenous nations. These runaways, often referred to as maroons, found support and solidarity in Native American communities, where they were sometimes accepted and integrated into the societies of various tribes.
In the southeastern United States, the Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee nations formed alliances with runaway enslaved people, offering them protection in exchange for military support and cooperation in trade. Black people often intermarried with Native people, adopting their customs, languages, and social structures. Over time, many of them and their descendants became part of a new, cultural identity: Black Indians.
The Seminole Nation in Florida, in particular, is a notable example of this historical alliance. The Seminoles became one of the few Native American nations to actively resist removal during the 1830s, when the U.S. government began forcibly relocating Native peoples to the West. Black Seminoles fought alongside Native Seminoles in the Second Seminole War (1835–1842), creating a long-standing bond between the two communities.
After the Civil War, the relationship between Native Americans and Black Americans continued to evolve. The Reconstruction period brought a new sense of hope for Black Americans, but it also marked a time of turmoil for Native communities, as they faced pressure from the U.S. government to surrender their land and rights.
Many Black Americans, largely from the South, continued to forge ties with Native nations. In the post-emancipation era, former enslaved people sometimes found work and shelter in Native communities, particularly those that had adopted Black refugees.
The presence of Black people in Native nations was not always accepted. In some cases, Native groups wanted to maintain their racial and cultural purity and distanced themselves from Black people. This was evident after the Civil War when certain tribes were pressured by the U.S. government to sign treaties that would reduce their sovereignty and force them to accept Black citizenship within their borders.
The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Creek nations, known collectively as the “Five Civilized Tribes,” signed treaties with the U.S. government that recognized the right of freed Black people to live within their territories, but only under certain conditions. Many were descendants of Black enslaved people who had been owned by Native Americans prior to the Civil War. Over time, these freedmen often found themselves marginalized within Native communities.
This time of year, it always widens my eyes even more to the fact that Thanksgiving is deeply complicated. Traditionally, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a time of harvest and gratitude, symbolized by the story of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people coming together in 1621. However, for Native Americans, this narrative severely glosses over the centuries of violence and colonization, as Europeans stole Indigenous lands and decimated Native populations.
For Black people, Thanksgiving also carries a painful history. While it is not directly tied to the experiences of slavery, the holiday falls within a broader context of systemic racism and oppression. For enslaved Black people and their descendants, the story of Thanksgiving contrasts with the lived reality of exploitation and dehumanization on plantations.
The histories of Native Americans and Black Americans are linked, as both communities have been subjected to systemic injustice and marginalization since the arrival of European colonizers. For Native Americans, this time of year symbolizes a reminder of the beginning of the end of their way of life. For Black Americans, it can serve as a reminder of the broader struggles for freedom and equality that persist today.
While the relationship between Native Americans and Black Americans has been complex, both groups have shared experiences of segregation, and most importantly, cultural erasure. Both have been subjected to the brutal realities of American slavery. These similar histories of trauma have created deep-rooted empathy that makes us stronger.
The history between Native Americans and Black Americans is one of conflict but also cooperation. It is shaped by colonization, slavery, and racism. As both groups continue to assert their rights and demand recognition, our shared history provides a powerful foundation for collaboration and mutual understanding in the ongoing fight for reparative justice.
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