7 Movies That Help to Learn Slavery History and Origins

From the prehistoric era, we have come a long way. We have learned how to build castles, ships, entire cities, and civilizations, in that process. Like most histories, our history also comes with a bloody and terrible past. There are true horrors in humanity’s past like the event of the Holocaust, colonialism, or even slavery, for that matter. We are taught about most of these things in an academic sense at school, college, or at the university level.

The United States of America is what it is today, because of slavery and the crimes it committed against black people. Slavery defined this nation’s past and it still affects its present. To this day, African-American people are discriminated against. We need to take active steps to curb this practice of rampant racism.

A way to do that is to provide education about slavery to the student community.  It helps students to learn the real truth about slavery. One of the most common topics taught in college is slavery. Students are asked to write an essay, take an exam or take a course for an entire term on the topic. If you ever need help while writing this, you can easily find slavery essay topics and much more here. Watching films and documentaries made on slavery is a good way to educate yourself, too. Here’s a list of some of the best slavery movies to help you with coursework and research. 

Some of the Best Slavery Movies

1. 12 Years a Slave (2012)

This movie is one of the many true slavery movies made. It tells the tale of a free man named Solomon Northup who was drugged and taken to America as a slave, under the pretext of a job. A masterpiece by Steve McQueen starring some of the finest actors from this generation, 12 Years a Slave is bound to make you empathize with Solomon, as soon as you are 15 minutes into the movie.    

2. Beloved (1998)

This movie is a true story based on a book by the same name, Beloved. It is about a woman who used to be a slave and her getting haunted by a poltergeist. It is set around the American Civil War timeline.  

3. Harriet (2019)

Harriet is the biopic on the life of Harriet Tubman, a woman who worked to free black people from the shackles of slavery. The movie has received excellent reviews from critics and is one of those movies that capture the true essence of the issue of slavery.

4. The Birth of a Nation (2016)

The list would be incomplete if a film about a rebellion was not included. The Birth of a Nation is a classic rebellion flick about Nat Turner who led a slave mutiny in Virginia. The film was in line for winning many Oscar nominations but did not make the cut.

5. Get Out (2017)

This is one of those flicks that address the themes of slavery and racism in a new way. Get Out is one of those new slavery movies made very recently. It has also received acclaim for its acting, direction, and cinematography. The movie is a beautiful picturization of psychological horror and thrill.

6. Lincoln (2012)

A directorial wonder by Steven Spielberg and starring the talent Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, the film is a biopic on the American President and the final time he had left in his life, his efforts to abolish slavery, and much more.

7. Django Unchained (2012)

A fictional story about a slave who set out to free his wife from a cruel plantation owner, Django Unchained is one of Tarantino’s best works. The movie is mainly set in the late 1800s in Mississippi.

History is a very clear and set evidence of just how cruel humans can be sometimes. It is a constant reminder as to why it is important to teach our kids about our history so that they understand the important lesson of never repeating the same mistakes and crimes committed against some communities. While movies are a great source to learn about slavery, you can use other sources like documentaries and books to seek out more knowledge, as well.

Positive Words Research – 7 Movies That Help to Learn Slavery History