We asked award-winning producer Debra Martin Chase, an executive producer of the film Harriet, to give us her top picks for classic films that would give Black kids a sense of culture and history. Here are her suggestions along with some additions by Beccastone. (These movies are generally appropriate for middle schoolers and older). Grab your tweens, teens and a bowl of popcorn for a great family evening.
1. The Great Debaters (2007)
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Drama based on a true story of a black professor at a black college who inspired students to form a debate team that ultimately challenged the Harvard team in a national championship. From two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and an ensemble cast lead by Washington that includes Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker.
Movie Party with Spicy Caramel Bacon Popcorn
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2. Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
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An 11-year old competes for a spot in a national spelling bee. The film alludes to the importance of community as well as to problems black communities face. It also deals with esteem and stigma in school while criticizing the public school system.
Cast members said that although the film was aimed at children, they considered it had important lessons for the parents as well. It received awards and nominations, including the Black Reel Awards and the NAACP Image Awards.
Film critics highly praised it for avoiding African-American stereotypes common in Hollywood films,
Movie Party with Two-Second Pizza Popcorn
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3. Imitation of Life (1959)
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This movie deals with issues of race, class and gender. Debra: “A good drama that gives kids a perspective on how things used to be.”
Lora Meredith (Lana Turner), a white single mother who dreams of being on Broadway, has a chance encounter with Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore), a black widow. Annie becomes the caretaker of Lora’s daughter, Suzie (Sandra Dee), while Lora pursues her stage career. Both women deal with the difficulties of motherhood: Lora’s thirst for fame threatens her relationship with Suzie, while Annie’s light-skinned daughter, Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner), struggles with her African-American identity. Gospel music star Mahalia Jackson appears as a church choir soloist.
Movie Party with Zebra Caramel Corn – black AND white chocolate – YUM!
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4. Cinderella (1997)
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A television remake of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic with Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother. Debra: “I loved Cinderella as a child. When I was working on this movie, I thought about how much it would have meant to me to see a black girl as Cinderella!” The racially diverse cast consisting of Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, Veanne Cox, Natalie Desselle, Victor Garber and Paolo Montalban.
Cinderella proved a major ratings success, originally airing to 60 million viewers and establishing itself as the most-watched television musical in decades, earning ABC its highest Sunday-night ratings in 10 years. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella was nominated for several industry awards, including seven Primetime Emmy Awards, winning one for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program. The program’s success inspired Disney and ABC to produce several similar musical projects. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is regarded by contemporary critics as a groundbreaking film due to the unprecedented diversity of its cast and Brandy’s role. 
Movie Party with Snicker’s Popcorn!
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5. Boyz in the Hood (1991)
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Debra: “The power of this movie is its universality, about choosing between right and wrong, having the courage to stand up to pressure and be your own person.”
Boyz n the Hood is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood drama film, written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Morris Chestnut, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King, and Angela Bassett. Boyz n the Hood follows Tre Styles (Gooding Jr.), who is sent to live with his father Furious Styles (Fishburne) in South Central Los Angeles, surrounded by the neighborhood’s booming gang culture.
Singleton initially developed the film as a requirement for application to film school in 1986 and sold the script to Columbia Pictures upon graduation in 1990.The film became a critical and commercial success, praised for its emotional weight, acting, and writing. It grossed $57.5 million in North America, and was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the 64th Academy Awards, making Singleton the youngest person and the first African-American to be nominated for Best Director.
The film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.[3] In 2002, the United States Library of Congress deemed it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Movie Party with Salted Chocolate Caramel Popcorn. Caramel isn’t the only thing that tastes better with a sprinkle of salt.
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6. A Soldier’s Story (1984)
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Nominated for 3 Oscars, this movie highlights the destructive effects of racism in the armed forces and a black soldier’s determination to find the truth.
A black Army investigator (Howard E. Rollins Jr.) travels to a remote military base in the heart of the Louisiana backwoods to look into the mysterious murder of a black sergeant toward the tail end of World War II. Once he arrives, the investigator discovers an Army regiment and an entire community that, despite the beginnings of integration, is still torn apart by race and segregation. He soon learns that on this base, trust is sparse and secrets are a currency all their own.
Movie Party with Smoky Popcorn. This smoky mix of popcorn and Japanese rice crackers brings the best-ever bar snacks together.
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7. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
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They call me Mister Tibbs
They got a murder on their hands . . . they don’t know what to do with it.
They’re going to pin something on that smart cop from Philadelphia . . . maybe a medal . . . maybe a murder!
Debra: “Superb acting by Sydney Poitier and a great movie to give kids a sense of change in the South. It helps kids understand how far we have come.”
Made prior to movie ratings, parental discretion might be advised, more here.
Movie Party with Sriracha Cheddar Popcorn. Forget fake cheese powder—this popcorn uses real, sharp cheddar and Rooster sauce to fire things up.
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8. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a 1967 American drama with Sidney Poitier, Hepburn and Tracy, that won 2 Oscars.
Debra: “Another great Sydney Poitier movie. Shows how much things have changed.”
The film was one of the few films of the time to depict an interracial marriage in a positive light, as interracial marriage historically had been illegal in most states of the United States. It was still illegal in 17 states—mostly Southern states—until June 12, 1967, anti-miscegenation laws were struck down by the Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was a box-office hit in 1968 throughout the United States, including in Southern states where it was traditionally assumed that few white filmgoers would want to see any film with black leads. The success of this film challenged that assumption in film marketing.
The release of the film in the U.S. gave Poitier his third box-office success in six months in 1967, all of which placed the race of Poitier’s character at issue. The film grossed a total of $56.7 million.
In 1998, the film was ranked #99 on the 100 Years…100 Movies list, by the American Film Institute.
In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.
Movie Party with Buffalo Ranch Popcorn
A drizzle of Buffalo Ranch butter ensures that you’re eating the whole bowl in one sitting.
Get the recipe here.
9. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
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Follow the Youngers; a working class Black family, living together in an apartment in Chicago, overcome the odds. After the death of their patriarch, they try to determine what to do with the substantial insurance payment they’ll soon receive. Opinions on what to do with the money vary. Walter Lee (Sidney Poitier) wants to make a business investment, while his mother, Lena (Claudia McNeil), is intent on buying a house for them all to live in — two differing views of the American Dream.
Movie Party with Popcorn Balls with Raisins. These crunchy popcorn balls, studded with raisins and peanuts, will make you feel like a kid again.
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10. Carmen Jones (1954)
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Powered by Georges Bizet’s grand music and Oscar Hammerstein II’s magnificent lyrics, this Americanized all-black version of the classic opera Carmen is a dynamic superb show with a positively incandescent Carmen. Oscar® -nominee Dorothy Dandridge stars in the title role, a passionate, sexy creature who lures Joe (Harry Belafonte), a handsome soldier, away from his sweetheart (Olga James).
Helping to set the screen on fire are Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll, part of the sensational troupe that makes this jubilant musical film hard to beat.
Debra: “This stars Dorothy Dandridge, the first Black actress nominated for an Oscar.”
The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. It was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Film from any Source
Movie Party with Oreo Popcorn.
Transform microwave popcorn into an insane cookies and cream treat.
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