Movies About Tulsa Massacre

From Ava DuVernay, starring Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker, Dolores Canales
Rated TV-MA

13th is a 2016 American documentary film directed by Ava DuVernay. The film explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation's prisons are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. It examines the "intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States" and is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which illegalized slavery with the exception of those lawfully convicted of a crime. The film is divided into five sections – "Employment," "Incarceration," "Capital Punishment," "Terrorism," and "Culture" – which illustrate the systemic racism and racial inequality that have perpetuated the disproportionate number of African-Americans in the prison system. It features interviews with various experts, activists, and politicians, including Cory Booker, Angela Davis, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Van Jones, Michelle Alexander, and others. The film won numerous awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special.

From Sam Feder, starring Laverne Cox, Bianca Leigh, Jen Richards, Alexandra Billings
Rated TV-MA

Disclosure is a 2020 documentary film directed by Sam Feder which explores the history of transgender representation in film, television, and media. It features interviews from prominent figures in the trans community such as Laverne Cox, Mj Rodriguez, and Jen Richards, alongside industry experts such as Yance Ford, Alexandra Billings, and Susan Stryker. The film reveals the insidiousness of Hollywood's erasure of trans stories and its role in the power structures that have oppressed trans people for decades. It also highlights the importance of trans representation and the ways in which it can help to validate and empower trans people, as well as affect society on a larger scale. The film ultimately calls for a more inclusive and equitable entertainment industry.

From Garth Davis, starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, Sunny Pawar
Rated PG-13

Lion is a 2016 drama film directed by Garth Davis and written by Luke Davies, based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley. The film stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman and Sunny Pawar. The film follows the story of Saroo Brierley, a five-year-old Indian boy who becomes separated from his family and is adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, Saroo embarks on a journey to find his family, using Google Earth to pinpoint the exact location of his childhood home. The film follows both Saroo's journey to find his family, and the struggles he faced along the way. As he reconnects with his family and rediscovers his childhood, Saroo learns to accept his past and find his place in his new home. The film is an inspiring story of hope, courage and the power of family.

From Raoul Peck, starring Samuel L. Jackson, James Baldwin, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
Rated PG-13

I Am Not Your Negro is a 2016 documentary film directed by Raoul Peck. The film focuses on the writings and life of African-American author and civil rights activist James Baldwin. Through Baldwin's words, the film explores the racism and injustice that African-Americans face in the United States today. The film draws on Baldwin's unfinished manuscript Remember This House, which was intended to be a book about the deaths of three of his close friends: Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Baldwin's words, read by actor Samuel L. Jackson, are combined with archival footage and Peck's commentary to present a powerful exploration of race in America. The film ultimately challenges viewers to confront their own complicity in the racism and injustice that still exists today.

From Edward Zwick, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman
Rated R

Glory is an Oscar-winning film based on the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the first all-black Union regiment in the American Civil War. Led by Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick), the regiment fights for the Union despite facing immense opposition from both within the military and from society as a whole. Through their incredible courage and dedication to their cause, the soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts prove themselves to be heroes and prove that black men can and will fight for their freedom. The film stars Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, Andre Braugher, and Jihmi Kennedy, and was directed by Edward Zwick.

From Keith Beauchamp, starring Mamie Till Mobley, Wheeler Parker, Simeon Wright, Ruthie Mae Crawford
Rated PG-13

The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till is a documentary directed by Keith Beauchamp and released in 2005, which focuses on the racially motivated murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who was visiting family in Money, Mississippi, in 1955. Emmett was beaten and shot for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Despite an all-white jury acquitting the suspects, the incident made international news and brought attention to the brutal racism in the U.S. at the time. The film documents interviews with witnesses, activists, historians, and family members, as well as re-enactments of the crime, in an effort to tell the story of Emmett’s death and its impact on the civil rights movement. In the end, the documentary reveals the courage of a young boy who, despite his short life, made a lasting impact on the fight for justice and equality.

From Liz Garbus, starring Nina Simone, Lisa Simone Kelly, Roger Nupie, Al Schackman
Rated Not Rated

What Happened, Miss Simone? is a 2015 documentary film that chronicles the life and career of legendary American singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone. Directed by Liz Garbus, the film explores how Simone's extraordinary drive and ambition as an artist was intertwined with her passion for civil rights. Drawing from rare archival footage, interviews, and personal diaries and letters, the film delves into the many struggles that Simone faced throughout her life, including domestic violence, depression, and racism. The film also highlights her dynamic and inspirational performances, as well as her passionate speeches for the civil rights movement. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2016, and won a BAFTA Award for Best Documentary.

From John M. Stahl, starring Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks
Rated Approved

Imitation of Life is a 1934 American melodrama film directed by John M. Stahl. The movie stars Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Rochelle Hudson, and Louise Beavers. The film tells the story of a white widow, Bea Pullman, who struggles to raise her daughter, Jessie, on her own. Bea meets a black widow, Delilah Johnson, and the two become fast friends, with Delilah taking on the role of a surrogate mother to Jessie. The two women open a successful pancake restaurant, but their success is overshadowed by the racism they face in the community. Delilah's daughter, Peola, struggles with her mixed racial identity as she faces ostracism from both the black and white communities. The film follows their struggles and the overall themes of grief, racism, and identity. In the end, Bea and Delilah take solace in their love for one another and the memories left behind by their fallen loved ones.

From Phillip Noyce, starring Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Kenneth Branagh, Laura Monaghan
Rated PG

From Amma Asante, starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Matthew Goode, Emily Watson, Miranda Richardson
Rated PG

From Peter Bratt, starring Dolores Huerta, Martin Luther King, Luis Valdez, Ricardo S. Chavez
Rated Not Rated

From Ryan Coogler, starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira
Rated PG-13

From Stanley Nelson, starring Blair Anderson, Omar Barbour, Julian Bond, Elaine Brown
Rated Not Rated

From Robin Bissell, starring Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell, Babou Ceesay, Anne Heche
Rated PG-13

From Angelina Jolie, starring Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Mun Kimhak
Rated TV-MA

From Raoul Peck, starring Eriq Ebouaney, Alex Descas, Théophile Sowié, Maka Kotto
Rated Not Rated

From Directors: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler, starring Josephine Bolling McCall, Gwen Carr, Tiffany Crutcher, Carolyn Payne
Rated PG-13

From Jeff Nichols, starring Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton, Dean Mumford
Rated PG-13

From Jeff Stilson, starring Chris Rock, Maya Angelou, Al Sharpton, Tanya Crumel
Rated PG-13

From David Ayer, starring Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Edgar Ramírez
Rated TV-MA