Micheaux’s Body and Soul (1925)

Oscar Micheaux (pictured) was a talent ahead of his time and generally acknowledged as the first black filmmaker. Body and Soul was specifically made for black audiences, becoming the first in a canon of remarkable films.

Carmen Jones (1954)

Dorothy Dandridge’s beauty, talent, and charisma shined most proudly in this classic rendition of the opera Carmen. Indeed, Dandridge made history with this film, becoming the first African-American woman to be nominated for best actress.

(Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox)

Imitation of Life (1959)

A regular feature on classic American cable film channels, Imitation of Life delved into the taboo tale of a fair-skinned black girl denying her mother and passing for white. It garnered the third ever best supporting actress Academy Award nomination for a black actress (Juanita Moore, pictured).

(Image courtesy of Universal Pictures)

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Sidney Poitier administered the slap heard round the country in this film, giving one of the edgier performances of his career. In the Heat of the Night is just one strong film in a long string series of great 60s films starring Poitier.

(Image courtesy of MGM)

Shaft (1971)

Perhaps, the most popular of the blaxploitation genre in the 1970s, Shaft has made a very specific and indelible contribution to American popular culture.

(Image courtesy of Warner Bros.)

Lady Sings the Blues (1972)

Diana Ross’s best filmic performance to date, Lady is a cinematic rendering of the tumultuous, painful life and the legacy of jazz artist Billie Holiday.

(Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Sounder (1972)

Based on the Newberry award – winning novel, Sounder is a sentimental drama about a Louisiana African-American family during the depression. Its salient themes and tense, poignant narrative garnered it four Academy Award nominations.

(Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox)

Cooley High (1975)

A gem of a film, Cooley High is a classic part of black cinema. It’s a coming of age story with a great cast and killer soundtrack that helps the film stand to the test of time.

(Image courtesy of MGM)

Killer of Sheep (1977)

Critics and film lovers alike have touted director Charles Burnett’s beautiful cinematic rendering of an African-American working class family living in 1970s Watts as a classic piece of cinema. The final product for completion of his MFA from UCLA, Burnett’s film proves that age and experience are no deterrents to brilliance.

(Image courtesy of Milestone Video)

Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (1979)

A genius never to be replicated, Richard Pryor’s Live in Concert is largely hailed as one of the most flawlessly executed performances in American comedy.

(Photo courtesy of Elkins Entertainment)

Hollywood Shuffle (1987)

Robert Townsend’s tour-de-force Hollywood Shuffle was a comedic satire about African-American portrayals in Hollywood that hinge largely on stereotypes and covert racism. Townsend’s contributions to Hollywood generally and black cinema can’t be understated and Hollywood Shuffle is perhaps his greatest gift.

(Image courtesy of MGM)

Coming to America (1988)

An underrated classic, Coming to America features perhaps Eddie Murphy’s best performance. It effectively showcased the range of the talented actor with four different characters.

(Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of one of the most classic films in black cinema to date. Using Brooklyn as a microcosm for America, this film explores how racial tensions boil over and explode if they go ignored for too long.

(Image courtesy of Universal Pictures)

Boyz N the Hood (1991)

John Singleton made history with this film, becoming the first black director to garner an Academy Award nomination. It was the first of a series of films from the 1990s that explored gang life and poverty in black, urban areas. It was also the first major film for African-American actors such as Cuba Gooding, Jr., Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut, Tyra Ferrell, Nia Long, and Ice Cube.

(Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures)

Daughters of the Dust (1991)

An audacious first feature length film from a bold filmmaker, Julie Dash’s Daughters utilized stark imagery and a character driven plot structure to tell the story of three generations of Gullah women.

(Image courtesy of Kino International)

Malcolm X (1992)

It’s no small feat to create an exemplary biopic about one of the most searing political leaders in 20th century America. Spike Lee’s Malcolm X is perhaps one of the best in recent years due in part to a stand out performance by Denzel Washington.

(Image courtesy of Warner Bros.)

Eve’s Bayou (1997)

Kasi Lemmons’ directorial debut was a smoldering drama based in Louisiana that was a crowning achievement that impressed both critics and audiences alike. The impressive performance by a young Jurnee Smollett is a standout.

(Image courtesy of Trimark films)

4 Little Girls (1997)

Spike Lee’s 4 Little Girls is classic American documentary, which garnered an Academy Award nomination for best documentary. The film centers on the act of American terrorism during the Civil Rights Movement on the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama which took the lives of four innocent children.

(Image courtesy of HBO)

Bamboozled (2000)

A brilliant, ambitious satire, Lee uses blackface to shed light on America’s troubled past and present day use of minstrelsy. Its bold, brave, and unapologetic tone ripped through the screen.

(Image courtesy of New Line Cinema)

Antwone Fisher (2002)

Denzel Washington’s directorial debut is the true story of a traumatized soldier who finds redemption and the missing pieces to his personal history with the help of a dedicated Navy psychiatrist. Most importantly, it was the debut performance of rising, young actor Derek Luke.

(Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox)