The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He chose that location in part to honor President Abraham Lincoln as “a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today.” Now, millions of people honor King in the same way.
Sidney Poitier, arguably American cinema’s most-influential Black actor, died Jan. 6 at 94. Even after his death, "Brother John" is Poitier’s most-overlooked film. The story of John Kane returning to his little hometown in rural Alabama is a tale of pain, suppressed rage and a fate all of us may face because of our inhumanity to one another. Poitier’s pivotal scene with co-star Will Geer is one of the best in all of cinema.
‘13th,’ 2016
Netflix
Want to feel a tad uncomfortable? Want to explore how some “rights” can be used as a way to disenfranchise people? Watch Ava DuVernay’s documentary "13th" about our prison system and the 13th Amendment.
‘MLK/FBI,’ 2020
IFC Films
Everyone claims the cuddly, generic legacy of MLK these days, but there was a time when powerful forces in this country believed he was a dangerous radical. Others claimed he was under “Soviet influence.”
The documentary "MLK/FBI" captures an overlooked, important part of history.
‘I am Not Your Negro,’ 2016
Magnolia Pictures
Based on an unfinished manuscript from writer and activist James Baldwin, the documentary "I am Not Your Negro" offers us the voices of the people who fought for civil rights and paid dearly in the effort to stand for others.
‘In the Heat of the Night,’ 1967
MGM Studios
A must-watch. "In the Heat of the Night" was not played in many theaters throughout the South. Why? Because Sidney Poitier’s Virgil Tibbs raised his voice to the Sparta police chief played by Rod Steiger. An incredible score from Quincy Jones, as well as strong supporting performances from Warren Oates and Lee Grant.
