Ten films that capture the spirit of Juneteenth, from Selma and Malcolm X to Crooklyn

The federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the US has become a cultural landmark

Zelda Harris and Delroy Lindo star in Spike Lee's Crooklyn. Photo: Mule Filmworks

As well as being a moment of sombre reflection on America's turbulent racial history, Juneteenth is also an ideal time to consider the cultural contributions of African Americans.

Observed on June 19, the occasion marks the end of slavery the US.

It was the day in 1865 when Texas, the final confederate state involved in the American Civil War, freed its slaves, thus putting into effect the Emancipation Proclamation and closing a dark chapter in the country's history.

Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth became a public holiday in certain states more than 40 years ago, with some still to recognise it.

Despite the lack of official nationwide recognition, the importance of Juneteenth is firmly set in the US public consciousness, thanks to the role of African-American artists.

Where popular songs by artists ranging from James Brown to Beyonce celebrated black empowerment, films have also been influential in documenting the excellence and struggles of African Americans over the decades.

While some may not have reached the heights of their musical counterparts, many are relevant because of their inspiring and universal themes and stories.

Here are 10 films and documentaries, in no particular order, to see in honour of Juneteenth. If you cannot find them on your streaming services, they are all available to rent on the iTunes Store and Google Play.

1. Selma (2014)

It would have been a tall order to fully encapsulate the life of US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr in a feature film.

Ava DuVernay's biopic immediately hits its stride by focusing on the tumultuous 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches that compelled the US government to eventually legislate a voting rights law.

British actor David Oyelowo delivers a resonant performance as King Jr and Selma finds the right balance of ratcheting the tension without losing respect for its important subject matter.

2. Malcolm X (1992)

Filmmaker Spike Lee campaigned hard to direct the biopic about the firebrand civil rights leader.

The confidence was rightly justified with the project being one of the finest, if not most detailed, film accounts of Malcom X's turbulent life.

More than three hours long, the film tracks his beginnings as a small-time criminal to his spiritual awakening and ultimately his assassination in 1965.

Malcom X is also notable for Denzel Washington's committed performance in the title role. The film became the first Hollywood production granted permission to shoot scenes in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

3. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)

A searing and poetic look into the life of revered African American writer and polemicist James Baldwin.

Taking cues from his unfinished manuscript, director Raoul Peck splits the narrative into six chapters, including a prologue, and uses archived footage of Baldwin's interviews and speaking engagements to show his views of the civil rights movement and its leaders and greater American history.

With additional narration by actor Samuel L Jackson, I Am Not Your Negro is thought provoking and deservedly won the Bafta Award for Best Documentary.

4. Hidden Figures (2016)

Premiered in the US as a limited release, Hidden Figures took off at the box office and eventually grossed nearly 10 times its $25 million production cost.

The buzz is down to a wonderful, if slightly melodramatic, retelling of the story of three African-American mathematicians who worked at Nasa during the Space Race era of the 1960s.

Inspiring and packed with powerful performances by Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae, Hidden Figures sheds light on some of the overlooked contributions by African Americans in US history.

5. Hoop Dreams (1994)

The seminal documentary film by Steve James follows the lives of William Gates and Arthur Agee, two African-American high school students from Chicago who dream of becoming professional basketball players.

Shot over a five-year time span, Hoop Dreams juxtaposes energetic sports footage with intimate moments at home and locker rooms as the two face emotional and physical setbacks.

Using basketball as a launch pad to discuss wider issues such as race relations, the education system and social class, Hoop Dreams is a pulsating and at times tender meditation on life in America.

In 2005 it was added to the National Film Registry of the Library in Congress due to its cultural and historical significance.

6. Remember the Titans (2000)

For those looking for a more streamlined Hollywood look at sports and US race relations, you will find it hard to beat Remember the Titans.

Based on the true story of coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) and his efforts to integrate a high school football team in Virginia in 1971, the film has become a family favourite – it is co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures, after all – and illustrates sport's ability to transcend prejudices.

7. Crooklyn (1994)

Spike Lee's semi-autobiographical film follows the life of a family living in Brooklyn in 1972.

The film is mostly told through the eyes of young girl Troy Carmichael (Zelda Harris) as she details her experiences growing up with her four siblings, feisty school teacher mum (Alfre Woodward) and father Woody (Delroy Lindo), a mercurial jazz musician.

Full of warmth and an absolutely bopping 1960s and 1970s soul and funk soundtrack, Crooklyn is a tender ode to the African-American family and to New York itself.

8. Cleopatra Jones (1973)

This film stands out from the glut of Blaxploitation flicks due to the craftiness of filmmaker Jack Starrett and a refreshing lead role of a black female martial arts-loving secret agent played by Tamara Dobson.

Undercover as a glamorous model, Cleo gives James Bond a run for his money – she even has her own '73 Corvette Stingray – as she tries to save her struggling community from an international drug ring.

A cult classic, Cleopatra Jones has been recognised by film critics and academics for being one of the rare action films of that era featuring a strong female lead character.

9. Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Waiting to Exhale resonates for being one of the rare major films with an all-African-American cast led by four women.

The late Whitney Houston leads a who’s-who of what is now considered African-American film royalty, such as Angela Bassett and Loretta Divine, in a story about a group of friends struggling to find emotional fulfilment in their romantic relationships.

Directed by Forest Whitaker, Waiting to Exhale found a new generation of fans through a seminal soundtrack produced by Babyface and the dramatic line “he's a good man Savannah” going viral on TikTok in 2022.

10. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)

Will Smith may have stolen the film's thunder when it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature immediately after his infamous slap of presenter Chris Rock, but that should hopefully go down as a footnote in what is a masterful work.

Directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson from the hip-hop band The Roots, the documentary explores the impact of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which featured a dream line-up including BB King, Stevie Wonder, the 5th Dimension, Sly and the Family Stone and Nina Simone

Blending official and stock news footage with new interviews with musicians, festival goers and social commentators, Summer of Soul pays tribute to an event that was nicknamed The Black Woodstock.