Black History Month is another great reason to uplift Black entertainment. We comprised a new ‘What to Watch’ list of Black television shows, starring amazing Black talent and culturally relevant plots to enjoy. Check out our latest list featuring a few of our favorite Black TV shows inside.
Today’s streaming companies offer countless shows to keep you and the family entertained. Historically, Black stories have not always been uplifted positively in media. Storytelling has since evolved into a variety of impactful series and films that represent the underrepresented. While it may seem like we have made great strides in entertainment, there is still a long way to go. Television has a huge impact on the way we view ourselves offscreen and IRL.
Last year, we discovered more Black entertainers are given the platform to soar and shine with networks looking to fulfill their diversity and inclusion promises from the 2020 racial uprising. Now, these same corporations are canceling our favorite Black shows like “Rap Sh!t” and “Grand Crew” with a quickness, giving them two seasons while leaving fans with anticlimactic cliffhangers for endings. This Black History Month we wanted to particularly highlight the stories that are shaping the way Black people view themselves. These shows are far more significant than fans may realize.
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Children and teens can feel seen with shows like Disney+’s “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” and “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.” Adults can find comedic relief in the every day lives of “The Upshaws” on Netflix. Whether you’re looking to escape to FX’s crime drama series with “Snowfall” or get grounded with the realities of our history in Hulu’s “The 1619 Project,” there’s a series on our list for everyone.
We continue to change the narrative by celebrating the variety of content across platforms, which magnify Black stories. Happy Black History Month!
Check out our ‘What to Watch’ list for Black History Month:
1. The Upshaws
They are taking big swings and, sometimes, missing even bigger… good thing they have each other, right? The Upshaws are doing well at Netflix. The comedy series starring Mike Epps will return for Season 5 and 6. Stream on Netflix.
2. Abbott Elementary
A group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — find themselves thrown together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. The people clearly love Abbott and it has no plans of leaving our screens as its next season has been renewed. Catch up with your favorite elementary school on ABC and Hulu.
3. Godfather of Harlem
In the early 1960s, infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson returns from 10 years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles; with the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. Check out the latest season on Hulu.
4. Harlem
In Season Two, after blowing up her career and disrupting her love life, Camille (Meagan Good) has to figure out how to put the pieces back together; Tye (Jerrie Johnson) considers her future; Quinn (Grace Byers) goes on a journey of self-discovery; and Angie’s (Shoniqua Shandai) career takes a promising turn. This show will return to the platform with a Season 3 as announced late last year. Be sure to watch on Prime Video.
5. Truth Be Told
Knowing who to trust is only half the battle in the fight for justice. This series stars Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer and Gabrielle Union. Season three of the NAACP Image Award-winning series debuted last year. A new season won’t return to the streaming platform. Be sure to catch the first three on Apple TV+.
6. The 1619 Project
The 1619 Project comes to the small screen as a six-part docuseries from host Nikole Hannah-Jones and the New York Times Magazine, continuing their quest — through the initial publication in 2019, a book and a podcast — to “reframe” American history and place “the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of the United States’ national narrative.” Check it out on Hulu.
7. Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur is based on the hit comic books from Marvel and is all about Lunella, Marvel’s first African American teenage girl Super Hero. The series stars Diamond White as Lunella Lafayette, Fred Tatasciore as Devil Dinosaur, Libe Barer as Casey, Alfre Woodard as Mimi, Sasheer Zamata as Adria, Jermaine Fowler as James Jr., Gary Anthony Williams as Pops. Be sure to check it out the latest season on Disney Channel and Disney+.
8. Snowfall
Snowfall’s highly-anticipated sixth and final season will debuted last year with a 10-episode installment. Starring Damson Idris as Franklin Saint, the Saint Family empire falls on uncertain times after Louie and Jerome decide to do their own thing. Binge it on Hulu.
9. Bel-Air
The drama series that serves as a reimagined version of the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” will return for a second season this month. Season two picked up after an emotional season one finale where Will speaks with his father (Marlon Wayans) after 13 long years. Check out the the latest season on Peacock.
10. All American
Spencer James is a rising high school football player and A student at South Crenshaw High, but when coach Billy Baker recruits him to join his team in Beverly Hills, Spencer’s mother, Grace, and his best friend, Coop, convince him it’s an opportunity he has to seize. Check out Season 5 on CW now and look out for season six soon.
11. The Ms. Pat Show
Ms. Pat is not your traditional TV matriarch, which is partially why the series continues to grow its viewership. The wife and mother never bites her tongue when talking to anyone and will give her all to make the best of any situation. Even if that situation is being stuck in a small Midwest town where there are only a handful of minorities. The beloved sitcom has been renewed for a fourth season. Be sure to catch the latest on BET+.
12. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
The Proud Family reboot is bringing fans the relatable series they deserve. Social media users are full of praise for the brand new episodes with an older Penny. The fan-favorite animated show has been renewed for its third season. Be sure to catch up on Disney+.
13. Genius: MLK/X
The newest installment of the Genius franchise, “Genius: MLK/X,” focuses on iconic civil rights era geniuses Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The series premiered on National Geographic this month. Stream on Disney/Hulu.
