This past week I went on an Urban Movie Channel Black documentary binge. Normally I stick with history (Eyes on the Prize is a favorite), or random topics, but these 6 had me on the edge of my seat.
All these documentaries are found on the Urban Movie Channel – the first subscription movie streaming service made for Black and urban audiences.
If you havent heard of Urban Movie Channel (UMC), you have definitely heard of its creator – Robert L. Johnson.
Johnson is the Chairman of RLJ Entertainment and founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET).
He created the Urban Movie Channel to showcase fresh original series, feature films, Black documentaries, stand-up specials, stage plays and other popular Black entertainment with new and exclusive content added every week.
Here are the 6 documentaries that I recommend you add to your playlist!
BMF: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Drug Empire
Say what you will, but Big Meech and BMF made the Atlanta entertainment scene in the 90s and 2000s. THE BLACK MAFIA FAMILY explores the story of the 15-year investigation that resulted in 41 defendants across the country being charged in one of the largest drug conspiracy cases ever.
Dark Girls
Directed by actor/director Bill Duke and D. Channsin Berry and As seen on Oprah Winfrey’s Network, (OWN), Dark Girls is a fascinating and controversial documentary that explores the prejudices dark-skinned women face throughout the world. The NAACP Award-nominated documentary explores the roots of classism, racism, and the lack of self-esteem around the globe.
Bound: Africans vs African Americans
A hard-hitting documentary that addresses the tension between Africans and African Americans. Opening with personal testimonials, BOUND looks at the effects of colonialism and enslavement and how these have divided and bound Africans and African Americans.
You Belong to Me: Sex, Race and Murder in the South
In 1952 Ruby McCollum, a black woman, killed her white doctor in Live Oak, Fla after years of sexual abuse. The remarkable secrets and terrible truths revealed during her trial and incarceration haunted jurors and prosecutors for decades.
They Don’t Give a Damn: The Story of the Failed Chicago Projects
The film is based on Dr. Dorothy Appiah‘s book titled Where Will They Go?: Transforming Public Housing in the City of Chicago.
Everyone felt that the ‘projects’ were just an experiment that failed… Everyone felt they were built for political reasons, and torn down for political reasons,” – Kenny Young; Director
If you want to truly understand how ‘Chiraq’ became the battleground that it is, this documentary will give you a new piece of the puzzle.
The Man Who Mends Women
This is the heartbreaking, spellbinding story of real-life hero Dr. Denis Mukwege, a gynecologist and a human rights activist who mended thousands of women who have been raped during the 20 years of conflicts in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From saving the lives of women who would have otherwise been “raped to death” to healing the mind & spirit of a woman who has been broken, this film is visually beautiful, a stark contrast to the violence known in Congo. It is a rare gem and a must watch.
If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can watch some of these for free. Or you can try out Urban Movie Channel for 7 days free and binge watch like I did.
If you have a favorite Black documentary that should be on this list, drop a title in the comments below??
