Black Movies And TV Shows To Watch For Juneteenth
Observe the holiday with films and series that honor Black stories
Posted on May 21, 2024 | 01:00pm
A celebration of freedom, and a federal holiday that's marked annually on June 19, Juneteenth honors the date in 1865 when the abolishment of slavery was finally enforced in every U.S. state. One way to observe the holiday is to watch movies and TV series that highlight the stories and contributions of Black trailblazers in the arts, culture, and history.
Read on for our streaming recommendations of Black movies and TV shows you can watch for Juneteenth on Paramount+. And remember: You can watch iconic films and series from the Paramount+ Black Voices Collection all year long.
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Indeed, despite President Lincoln’s decree that “persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State … shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free," the Emancipation Proclamation could not be implemented in areas under Confederate control before the April 1865 conclusion of the Civil War. Juneteenth, therefore, is an observance of the true and complete end of slavery. It is also a day to remember America’s long history of slavery, and to celebrate the rich culture and myriad achievements of Black Americans.
Long been observed as a ceremonial holiday in many U.S. states, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 when President Biden signed legislation adding it to the government holiday calendar. This was the first national holiday established since 1983, when one was created to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
Directed by Jessica Oyelowo – actor, singer-songwriter, and one of the executive producers for Lawmen: Bass Reeves – this documentary feature is about Jessica Oyelowo’s husband, David Oyelowo, and his seven-year journey portraying the legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. for the 2014 film, Selma. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage, intimate home videos, and interviews with such friends and mentors as Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, George Lucas, and Oprah Winfrey, Becoming King follows the Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG® nominee from his humble beginnings in Nigeria to the role of a lifetime - a destiny fulfilled.
WATCH NOW: Becoming King
Selma
Directed by Ava DuVernay, Selma tells the true story of how the revered leader and visionary. Martin Luther King Jr, along with his brothers and sisters in the Civil Rights Movement, prompted change that forever altered history.
The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period during which King (David Oyelowo) leads a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, culminates in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the Civil Rights Movement.
WATCH NOW: Selma
Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney
Directed by journalist-turned-filmmaker Nazenet Habtezghi, this 19-minute documentary explores the story of forced reproduction in the antebellum South. The film specifically focuses on Mary Gaffney, an enslaved Texas woman who discovered a way to take control of her body and her fertility for almost a decade.
WATCH NOW: Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney
The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
This hour-long special tells the story of Victor H. Green’s Green Book – a travel guide that advised Black citizens on how to safely tour the country during a time of severe institutionalized racism. A wide array of experts delve into the history of this book: historians; business owners; and, individuals who experienced first-hand the phenomenon of “traveling while black” in pre-Civil Rights America. Written and directed by acclaimed documentarian Yoruba Richen, The Green Book: Guide to Freedom looks at the daily realities that Black travelers faced on the road – the struggles, indignities and dangers, but also the opportunities and triumphs that were won along the way.
WATCH NOW: The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
The Paramount+ Original series Lawmen: Bass Reeves follows the titular character (David Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the one of first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting more than 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, Reeves finds the weight of his badge heavy, and he must wrestle with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family. Series star David Oyelowo and Oscar® nominee Taylor Sheridan are among the executive producers of this standalone anthology series.
WATCH NOW: Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Bob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love, peace, and unity. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the titular singer-songwriter, this powerful and uplifting biopic tells the incredible story of how Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music that changed the world.
WATCH NOW: Bob Marley: One Love
All Up in the Biz
This documentary feature film focuses on the late, great rapper and beatboxer Biz Markie, best known for his mega-hit “Just a Friend.” Featuring never before seen footage, musical interludes, animation, and puppetry – plus interviews with Biz Markie himself, as well as with celebrities such as Fat Joe, Nick Cannon, and Tracy Morgan – All Up in the Biz tells a heartwarming story of how an underdog from humble beginnings achieved to pop culture ubiquity. Directed by writer, filmmaker, and musician Sacha Jenkins, the movie ultimately speaks to how an individual can chart their own destiny while simultaneously shaping the future of a culture.
WATCH NOW: All Up in the Biz
Whitney: Can I Be Me
Directed by acclaimed BAFTA® winner Nick Broomfield, this documentary film presents an intimate portrait of six-time Grammy® winner Whitney Houston. Houston was one of the most successful female recording artists of all time, but after a troubled marriage and many years of struggle with addiction, she died suddenly and tragically at the age of 48. With its never-before-seen clips, candid interviews, and gripping performance footage, Whitney: Can I Be Me offers a raw and uncensored look at the artist, exploring the impact her life and death had on the people around her and the world of music at large.
WATCH NOW: Whitney: Can I Be Me
Now in its sixth season, this hit drama series tells a timely coming-of-age story about a group of residents living in the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe, and filmed entirely in its namesake city, The Chi presents life in this tough neighborhood, where real dangers daily threaten to squelch dreams, and the simplest decisions can have life or death consequences.
The Chi was recently renewed for a seventh season. Note: All episodes of The Chi are available to stream on Paramount+ with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan only.
WATCH NOW: The Chi
Twenties
From Emmy®-winning creator, writer, and executive producer Lena Waithe comes the GLAAD Media Award-nominated series Twenties – the first show of its kind in presenting a masculine-presenting queer woman of color as the lead in a primetime show. The series stars Jonica T. Gibbs as Hattie, a queer Black girl chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles. She finds support in her two straight best friends, Marie and Nia (Christina Elmore and Gabrielle Graham, respectively). While the girls live separate lives, they lean one another for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love, and inclusion.
The two seasons of Twenties will be available to stream on Paramount+ on Wednesday, May 29.
The Equalizer
This CBS Original drama series, now on its fourth season, stars Oscar® nominee and multi-hyphenate star Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn. To most, McCall presents as an average single mom, quietly raising her teenager. To a trusted few, however, is The Equalizer – an anonymous guardian angel and a defender of the downtrodden. But when her observant daughter (Laya DeLeon Hayes) and her watchful live-in aunt (Lorraine Toussaint) discover her secret career as a vigilante, Robyn’s clandestine work and her personal life start their collision course …
WATCH NOW: The Equalizer
Last Holiday
In this comedic feature film, shy New Orleans cookware sales clerk Georgia Byrd (Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah) is informed that she has less than a month to live. Deciding it's time to give her life a serious makeover, she jets off on a dream vacation to live life like there's no tomorrow. Georgia shakes up a glamorous European resort spa while enthusiastically embracing a new look, some new moves, and a new attitude. Back home, however, handsome suitor Sean Williams (LL Cool J), is determined not to let Georgia slip away.
WATCH NOW: Last Holiday
The Black Voices Collection also features an array of classic TV comedy series, such as Moesha, and current TV comedy hits, including The Neighborhood. There are reality TV shows, such as RuPaul’s Drag Race. And there are exceptional Black-led drama series, such as Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Fight. You'll also find great stand-up comedy and sketch comedy options, including the classic Key & Peele. From tear-jerking dramas, to laugh-out-loud picks, the Black Voices Collection has tons of iconic options to stream during Juneteenth – and throughout the year.
The Paramount+ Essential plan allows you to watch TV shows and movies with limited commercial interruptions. The Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan gives you an ad-free experience for watching TV shows and movies, as well as access to your live, local CBS station, plus SHOWTIME® programming such as The Chi, Billions, and Yellowjackets.
Computer or mobile web
iPhone or iPad
Android phone or tablet
Apple TV (4th generation or later)
Android TV
Fire TV
Portal TV
Roku
LG TV
Samsung TV
Vizio TV
Xbox
PlayStation 4 and 5
Xfinity device
Cox Contour box
Try Paramount+ For Free!
Read on for our streaming recommendations of Black movies and TV shows you can watch for Juneteenth on Paramount+. And remember: You can watch iconic films and series from the Paramount+ Black Voices Collection all year long.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, is a federal holiday observed annually on June 19. It commemorates the date – June 19, 1865 – when a Civil War-era Union general, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger, announced to the people of Galveston, Texas, that all enslaved people had been freed under the Emancipation Proclamation. Why was this announcement so noteworthy? President Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation more than two years earlier, on Jan. 1, 1863. To those still enslaved in Galveston, the news of the President’s proclamation – and the freedom that came with it – was only now just reaching them.Indeed, despite President Lincoln’s decree that “persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State … shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free," the Emancipation Proclamation could not be implemented in areas under Confederate control before the April 1865 conclusion of the Civil War. Juneteenth, therefore, is an observance of the true and complete end of slavery. It is also a day to remember America’s long history of slavery, and to celebrate the rich culture and myriad achievements of Black Americans.
Long been observed as a ceremonial holiday in many U.S. states, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 when President Biden signed legislation adding it to the government holiday calendar. This was the first national holiday established since 1983, when one was created to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.
What to Watch for Juneteenth
Juneteenth is all about Black stories, and on this holiday (and all year round!), you can stream films and TV series created by, starring, and all about Black artists with the Black Voices Collection on Paramount+. From that collection, find our recommendations below for great Juneteenth watches.Shows and Movies Based on Historical Figures
Becoming KingDirected by Jessica Oyelowo – actor, singer-songwriter, and one of the executive producers for Lawmen: Bass Reeves – this documentary feature is about Jessica Oyelowo’s husband, David Oyelowo, and his seven-year journey portraying the legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. for the 2014 film, Selma. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage, intimate home videos, and interviews with such friends and mentors as Ava DuVernay, Lee Daniels, George Lucas, and Oprah Winfrey, Becoming King follows the Emmy®, Golden Globe® and SAG® nominee from his humble beginnings in Nigeria to the role of a lifetime - a destiny fulfilled.
WATCH NOW: Becoming King
Selma
Directed by Ava DuVernay, Selma tells the true story of how the revered leader and visionary. Martin Luther King Jr, along with his brothers and sisters in the Civil Rights Movement, prompted change that forever altered history.
The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period during which King (David Oyelowo) leads a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, culminates in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the Civil Rights Movement.
WATCH NOW: Selma
Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney
Directed by journalist-turned-filmmaker Nazenet Habtezghi, this 19-minute documentary explores the story of forced reproduction in the antebellum South. The film specifically focuses on Mary Gaffney, an enslaved Texas woman who discovered a way to take control of her body and her fertility for almost a decade.
WATCH NOW: Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney
The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
This hour-long special tells the story of Victor H. Green’s Green Book – a travel guide that advised Black citizens on how to safely tour the country during a time of severe institutionalized racism. A wide array of experts delve into the history of this book: historians; business owners; and, individuals who experienced first-hand the phenomenon of “traveling while black” in pre-Civil Rights America. Written and directed by acclaimed documentarian Yoruba Richen, The Green Book: Guide to Freedom looks at the daily realities that Black travelers faced on the road – the struggles, indignities and dangers, but also the opportunities and triumphs that were won along the way.
WATCH NOW: The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
Lawmen: Bass Reeves
The Paramount+ Original series Lawmen: Bass Reeves follows the titular character (David Oyelowo) and his rise from enslavement to law enforcement as the one of first Black U.S. Deputy Marshals west of the Mississippi. Despite arresting more than 3,000 outlaws during the course of his career, Reeves finds the weight of his badge heavy, and he must wrestle with its moral and spiritual cost to his beloved family. Series star David Oyelowo and Oscar® nominee Taylor Sheridan are among the executive producers of this standalone anthology series.
WATCH NOW: Lawmen: Bass Reeves
Shows and Movies About Musical Icons
Bob Marley: One LoveBob Marley: One Love celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love, peace, and unity. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the titular singer-songwriter, this powerful and uplifting biopic tells the incredible story of how Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music that changed the world.
WATCH NOW: Bob Marley: One Love
All Up in the Biz
This documentary feature film focuses on the late, great rapper and beatboxer Biz Markie, best known for his mega-hit “Just a Friend.” Featuring never before seen footage, musical interludes, animation, and puppetry – plus interviews with Biz Markie himself, as well as with celebrities such as Fat Joe, Nick Cannon, and Tracy Morgan – All Up in the Biz tells a heartwarming story of how an underdog from humble beginnings achieved to pop culture ubiquity. Directed by writer, filmmaker, and musician Sacha Jenkins, the movie ultimately speaks to how an individual can chart their own destiny while simultaneously shaping the future of a culture.
WATCH NOW: All Up in the Biz
Whitney: Can I Be Me
Directed by acclaimed BAFTA® winner Nick Broomfield, this documentary film presents an intimate portrait of six-time Grammy® winner Whitney Houston. Houston was one of the most successful female recording artists of all time, but after a troubled marriage and many years of struggle with addiction, she died suddenly and tragically at the age of 48. With its never-before-seen clips, candid interviews, and gripping performance footage, Whitney: Can I Be Me offers a raw and uncensored look at the artist, exploring the impact her life and death had on the people around her and the world of music at large.
WATCH NOW: Whitney: Can I Be Me
More Notable Shows and Movies
The ChiNow in its sixth season, this hit drama series tells a timely coming-of-age story about a group of residents living in the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe, and filmed entirely in its namesake city, The Chi presents life in this tough neighborhood, where real dangers daily threaten to squelch dreams, and the simplest decisions can have life or death consequences.
The Chi was recently renewed for a seventh season. Note: All episodes of The Chi are available to stream on Paramount+ with the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan only.
WATCH NOW: The Chi
Twenties
From Emmy®-winning creator, writer, and executive producer Lena Waithe comes the GLAAD Media Award-nominated series Twenties – the first show of its kind in presenting a masculine-presenting queer woman of color as the lead in a primetime show. The series stars Jonica T. Gibbs as Hattie, a queer Black girl chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles. She finds support in her two straight best friends, Marie and Nia (Christina Elmore and Gabrielle Graham, respectively). While the girls live separate lives, they lean one another for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love, and inclusion.
The two seasons of Twenties will be available to stream on Paramount+ on Wednesday, May 29.
The Equalizer
This CBS Original drama series, now on its fourth season, stars Oscar® nominee and multi-hyphenate star Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn. To most, McCall presents as an average single mom, quietly raising her teenager. To a trusted few, however, is The Equalizer – an anonymous guardian angel and a defender of the downtrodden. But when her observant daughter (Laya DeLeon Hayes) and her watchful live-in aunt (Lorraine Toussaint) discover her secret career as a vigilante, Robyn’s clandestine work and her personal life start their collision course …
WATCH NOW: The Equalizer
Last Holiday
In this comedic feature film, shy New Orleans cookware sales clerk Georgia Byrd (Oscar® nominee Queen Latifah) is informed that she has less than a month to live. Deciding it's time to give her life a serious makeover, she jets off on a dream vacation to live life like there's no tomorrow. Georgia shakes up a glamorous European resort spa while enthusiastically embracing a new look, some new moves, and a new attitude. Back home, however, handsome suitor Sean Williams (LL Cool J), is determined not to let Georgia slip away.
WATCH NOW: Last Holiday
What else is available in the Black Voices Collection?
The Black Voices Collection's offerings are as exciting as they are varied. Among its movies, you can find riveting historical dramas such as Devotion, Oscar® nominees like Fences, and even classic Eddie Murphy hits, including Beverly Hills Cop. There are great documentaries, too, such as Milli Vanilli, the story of the meteoric rise and public fall of the ’90s pop duo of the title, and Women in Motion, about the quest of Star Trek icon Nichelle Nichols' effort to recruit scientists, engineers, and astronauts to the space program.The Black Voices Collection also features an array of classic TV comedy series, such as Moesha, and current TV comedy hits, including The Neighborhood. There are reality TV shows, such as RuPaul’s Drag Race. And there are exceptional Black-led drama series, such as Star Trek: Discovery and The Good Fight. You'll also find great stand-up comedy and sketch comedy options, including the classic Key & Peele. From tear-jerking dramas, to laugh-out-loud picks, the Black Voices Collection has tons of iconic options to stream during Juneteenth – and throughout the year.
What else can I watch on Paramount+?
In addition to the great shows and movies you can watch with Paramount+, you can also stream live sports, such as UEFA Champions League soccer matches, and live NFL on CBS games, returning this fall.The Paramount+ Essential plan allows you to watch TV shows and movies with limited commercial interruptions. The Paramount+ with SHOWTIME® plan gives you an ad-free experience for watching TV shows and movies, as well as access to your live, local CBS station, plus SHOWTIME® programming such as The Chi, Billions, and Yellowjackets.
How do I sign up for Paramount+?
You can sign up for Paramount+ online at ParamountPlus.com, and on mobile devices via the Paramount+ app for iOS and Android. (CC required. T&Cs apply.) Choose your streaming device from the list below, and read the instructions on how to get started:Computer or mobile web
iPhone or iPad
Android phone or tablet
Apple TV (4th generation or later)
Android TV
Fire TV
Portal TV
Roku
LG TV
Samsung TV
Vizio TV
Xbox
PlayStation 4 and 5
Xfinity device
Cox Contour box