{"id":17997,"date":"2026-02-16T10:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T15:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/?p=17997"},"modified":"2026-02-18T09:28:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:28:27","slug":"a-century-of-black-history-commemorations-on-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/2026\/02\/16\/a-century-of-black-history-commemorations-on-film\/","title":{"rendered":"A Century of Black History Commemorations on Film"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Since its founding in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, what we now recognize as Black History Month has served as both a corrective and a call to remembrance, an effort to document, preserve, and interpret Black history in a nation that too often ignored or distorted it. This year\u2019s theme, <a href=\"https:\/\/asalh.org\/black-history-month\/about\/\"><strong>A Century of Black History Commemorations<\/strong><\/a>, invites reflection not only on historical events, but also on how those histories have been recorded, revisited, and reinterpreted over time.<\/p>\n<p>Film has played a crucial role in this process. From early studio productions and independent works created under restrictive conditions, to later documentaries and contemporary reinterpretations, cinema has shaped public memory, challenged dominant narratives, and expanded access to Black history. <strong>It is important to note that some of the titles featured here are products of their time and may include portrayals, language, or assumptions that do not reflect contemporary values or sensitivities.<\/strong> Engaging with these works critically allows us to better understand both the histories they depict and the eras in which they were made.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these films trace a century-long arc of commemoration, from foundational representation to modern reflection.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Foundations and Early Black Cinema, 1920s to 1940s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Recording Black history at a time when mainstream narratives excluded it.<\/em><\/h3>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1048853702\"><strong>The Emperor Jones<\/strong><\/a> (1933)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-17998 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"01 The Emperor Jones (1933 film poster)\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-633x950.jpg 633w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster-520x780.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/01-The_Emperor_Jones_1933_film_poster.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One of the earliest Hollywood films centered on a Black lead character, this adaptation of Eugene O\u2019Neill\u2019s play explores themes of power, identity, and colonialism. While shaped by its era, the film remains significant for placing a Black protagonist at the center of a psychological and political narrative during a period of extreme racial exclusion in American cinema.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/62764674\"><strong>Cabin in the Sky<\/strong><\/a> (1943)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-17999\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-680x1024.jpg\" alt=\"02 Cabin in the Sky (1943 film poster)\" width=\"680\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-680x1024.jpg 680w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-768x1156.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-1020x1536.jpg 1020w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-1360x2048.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-631x950.jpg 631w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/02-Cabin_in_the_Sky_1943_film_poster-scaled.jpg 1701w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Featuring an all-Black cast at a time when such productions were rare, this musical reflects both cultural pride and the constraints of Hollywood stereotypes. Its importance lies in the visibility it provided to Black performers and traditions, even as it reveals the limitations imposed by the studio system.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Representation, Performance, and Visibility, 1950s to 1960s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Artists pushing against industry boundaries while gaining broader recognition.<\/em><\/h3>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1048838313\"><strong>The Cry of Jazz<\/strong><\/a> (1959)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18012\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz-710x1024.png\" alt=\"03 cryofjazz\" width=\"710\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz-710x1024.png 710w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz-208x300.png 208w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz-768x1108.png 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz-659x950.png 659w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/03-cryofjazz.png 780w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A hybrid documentary and experimental work that directly links jazz to Black history, identity, and political struggle. The film stands out for its unapologetic intellectual framing of Black culture as both artistic expression and social critique.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/930183321\"><strong>Lilies of the Field<\/strong><\/a> (1963)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18000\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-668x1024.jpg\" alt=\"04 Lilies of the Field (1963 film poster)\" width=\"668\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-668x1024.jpg 668w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-768x1177.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-1002x1536.jpg 1002w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-1336x2048.jpg 1336w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-620x950.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/04-Lilies_of_the_Field_1963_film_poster-scaled.jpg 1670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Widely celebrated for its themes of cooperation, faith, and dignity, this film marked a milestone in mainstream recognition of Black performers. Its success helped broaden public perceptions, even as it reflects the cautious optimism of its era.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1277081297\"><strong>The Learning Tree<\/strong><\/a> (1969)<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18001\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18001\" style=\"width: 672px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-18001\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree-672x1024.jpg\" alt=\"05 learning tree\" width=\"672\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree-672x1024.jpg 672w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree-768x1171.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree-623x950.jpg 623w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/05-learning-tree.jpg 984w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18001\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">05 learning tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Directed by Gordon Parks, this coming-of-age story captures everyday Black life in the years leading up to the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Its significance lies in its quiet focus on community, adolescence, and systemic inequality rather than spectacle.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Civil Rights Era and Collective Memory, 1960s to 1980s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Documenting activism, resistance, and the formation of national memory.<\/em><\/h3>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/754823522\"><strong>Roots<\/strong><\/a> (1977)<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_18002\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18002\" style=\"width: 668px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-18002\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots-668x1024.jpg\" alt=\"06 roots\" width=\"668\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots-668x1024.jpg 668w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots-768x1177.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots-620x950.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/06-roots.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-18002\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">06 roots<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A cultural watershed that reshaped how millions of Americans understood slavery and ancestry. Its broadcast marked a turning point in public engagement with Black history as a shared national story rather than a marginal one.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1027730663\"><strong>Attica<\/strong><\/a> (1980)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18013\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"07 Attica\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica-713x950.jpg 713w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/07-Attica.jpg 1350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Through firsthand footage and interviews, this documentary exposes systemic brutality and racial injustice within the prison system. It stands as a stark example of film functioning as historical evidence and moral reckoning.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1048859186\"><strong>Eyes on the Prize: Awakenings<\/strong><\/a> (1987)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18003\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize.jpg\" alt=\"08 Eyes on the Prize\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-950x950.jpg 950w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-500x500.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/08-Eyes-on-the-Prize-320x320.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One of the most influential documentary projects on the Civil Rights Movement, this series helped establish a comprehensive public record of activism, leadership, and grassroots organizing that continues to shape historical understanding.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Reclaiming History and Black Power Narratives, 1980s to 2000s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>Revisiting the past with urgency, critique, and reclaimed perspective.<\/em><\/h3>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/166345319\"><strong>Glory<\/strong><\/a> (1989)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18004\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-683x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"09 Glory poster sz\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-633x950.jpeg 633w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz-520x780.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/09-Glory-poster-sz.jpeg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>By centering Black Union soldiers within Civil War history, this film challenged long-standing omissions in mainstream historical memory and reframed narratives of patriotism and sacrifice.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/45903926\"><strong>4 Little Girls<\/strong><\/a> (1997)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-18014 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-681x1024.jpg\" alt=\"10 4 little girls large\" width=\"681\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-681x1024.jpg 681w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-768x1155.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large-632x950.jpg 632w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/10-4-little-girls-large.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Focusing on remembrance and loss, this documentary treats collective grief as historical testimony, emphasizing the human cost of racial violence and the importance of memory as resistance.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1048854967\"><strong>Soundtrack for a Revolution<\/strong><\/a> (2009)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-18015 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/11-Soundtrack-for-a-Revolution-large.jpg\" alt=\"11 Soundtrack for a Revolution large\" width=\"520\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/11-Soundtrack-for-a-Revolution-large.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/11-Soundtrack-for-a-Revolution-large-203x300.jpg 203w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Explores how music functioned as a living archive of protest during the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating how cultural expression preserved history when formal records often failed to do so.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Modern Reflection, Re-Examination, and Legacy, 2010s to 2020s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><em>How Black history is revisited, reframed, and actively commemorated today.<\/em><\/h3>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1492732396\"><strong>Slavery by Another Name<\/strong><\/a> (2012)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18007\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"12 Slavery by Another Name\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-633x950.jpg 633w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name-520x780.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/12-Slavery-by-Another-Name.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Reveals how systems of forced labor persisted long after the abolition of slavery, challenging simplified historical narratives and expanding public understanding of structural injustice.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1048862556\"><strong>The Central Park Five<\/strong><\/a> (2012)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-18008 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/13-The-Central-Park-Five.jpg\" alt=\"13 The Central Park Five\" width=\"550\" height=\"830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/13-The-Central-Park-Five.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/13-The-Central-Park-Five-199x300.jpg 199w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Revisits a highly publicized miscarriage of justice, illustrating how media narratives shape memory and how truth emerges over time through sustained re-examination.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/907644800\"><strong>Selma<\/strong><\/a> (2014)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18016\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-691x1024.jpg\" alt=\"14 selma\" width=\"691\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-691x1024.jpg 691w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-768x1137.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-1037x1536.jpg 1037w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-1383x2048.jpg 1383w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-641x950.jpg 641w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/14-selma-scaled.jpg 1728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Re-centers lived experience within a well-known historical moment, emphasizing the emotional, physical, and communal realities of activism beyond iconic imagery.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/933302654\"><strong>The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution<\/strong><\/a> (2015)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18009\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution-697x1024.jpg\" alt=\"15 Black Panthers Vanguard of the Revolution\" width=\"697\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution-697x1024.jpg 697w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution-204x300.jpg 204w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution-768x1129.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution-646x950.jpg 646w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/15-Black-Panthers-Vanguard-of-the-Revolution.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 697px) 100vw, 697px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Challenges long-standing misconceptions about the Black Panther Party, reframing its legacy through historical context, community programs, and political strategy.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/976436785\"><strong>I Am Not Your Negro<\/strong><\/a> (2016)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18010\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not-723x1024.jpg\" alt=\"16 i am not\" width=\"723\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not-723x1024.jpg 723w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not-768x1087.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not-671x950.jpg 671w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/16-i-am-not.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Uses James Baldwin\u2019s unfinished reflections to examine race in America through memory, language, and moral urgency, connecting past struggles to contemporary realities.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hpulibraries.on.worldcat.org\/oclc\/1291216966\"><strong>Summer of Soul (\u2026Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)<\/strong><\/a> (2021)<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-18011\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"17 summer\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-633x950.jpg 633w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer-520x780.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/files\/2026\/02\/17-summer.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Recovers the long-forgotten 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, underscoring how historical memory is shaped as much by what is preserved as by what is overlooked.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height: 20px; width: 100%;\"><\/div>\n<p>Taken together, these films illustrate that Black history is not static. It is continuously recorded, challenged, revised, and commemorated. From early cinematic efforts that carved out space under restrictive conditions, to modern works that interrogate memory itself, these titles reflect a century-long struggle over who gets to tell history and how it is remembered. Engaging with them during Black History Month offers not only an opportunity to learn about the past, but also to reflect on the ongoing work of preservation, interpretation, and justice that defines historical commemoration today.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105794366 BCX0\">by Suzanne Milano<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW105794366 BCX0\">, Media Services Coordinator<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since its founding in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, what we now recognize as Black History Month has served as both a corrective and a call to remembrance, an effort&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9688,"featured_media":18019,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_hpuaeo_plugin_post_data":"","_hpuaeo_plugin_meta_tags":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[96,989,95,991,992,990],"class_list":["post-17997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-resources","tag-african-american-history","tag-black-cinema","tag-black-history-month","tag-civil-rights-movement","tag-documentary-film","tag-film-and-history"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Century of Black History Commemorations on Film - Library<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.highpoint.edu\/library\/2026\/02\/16\/a-century-of-black-history-commemorations-on-film\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Century of Black History Commemorations on Film\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Since its founding in 1926 by Carter G. 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