The Top 10 Best Systemic Racism Movies

Looking to Educate Yourself? Check Out these Systemic Racism Movies!

Gather round boys and girls for another lesson via cinema! Today I’m going to be tackling systemic racism movies in order to help some white folks understand that, “yes, it is a real thing,” and “yes, it is still very much alive and well.” Since the gutwrenching murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, America has erupted in support of Black Lives Matter and in condemnation of the continued execution of people of color by cops. Yet, I still see a lot of ignorant white people posting that “all lives matter.” Well, today I’m hoping to educate a few of them with this list of the best movies about systemic racism in America. I pulled together a ton of movies that examine racism throughout the years. For the most part, I tried to steer away from Civil Rights films, since there were more than enough for a future list of their own. Instead, I looked at specific instances, events, and stories that detailed the kind of prejudice and oppression that black Americans have faced and still do. So, prepare to get woke, because these films will show you that we definitely don’t live in a “post-racial” America. 

10. The Help

Kicking off this list of systemic racism movies is a film adapted from a novel that was the toast of every book club for years. The Help takes a look at life in 1963 suburban Mississippi (nearly 10 years after Brown vs The Board of Education). It follows a group of white women and the black women they employ as the titular “help.” Despite Civil Rights being in full swing and there already being (minimal) laws to protect the rights of black Americans, the southern belles in the film don’t give a good gosh dang about that, subscribing to “tradition.” It’s infuriating watching them treat their maids and cooks as less than human, abusing them with that famous southern backhanded hospitality. “But that was in the 60s,” you might say. “Surely things have changed?” Sadly no. This mindset is still demonstrated by plenty of white folks with cellphones.

9. Just Mercy

It turns out that a lot of systemic racism movies are courtroom dramas. That’s probably because black Americans are more likely to be wrongfully convicted than any other minority. Now, most of these films usually feature a white lawyer doing the right thing by fighting as hard as they can to get a fair trial. I’ve got mixed feelings about the term “white savior,” but since a lot of people of color hate the idea, which is why I decided to go with Just Mercy for this list. Michael B. Jordan plays attorney Brian Stevenson, who agrees to represent a black man on death row (Jamie Foxx) for killing a white woman. Stevenson soon discovers the evidence against his client is non-existent outside of a flimsy statement by a known scumbag/felon. Just a simple mistrial of justice or one example from dozens (if not hundreds) cases just like it?  

8. Glory

Glory is easily one of the most infuriating systemic racism movies of all time. Imagine you’re in the middle of a war and a group of people come along and say, “Hey, we’re on your side and want to help fight the same bad guys as you” and you respond, “Cool… But just not alongside us… Or for the same pay… And we’re going to treat you like you’re not as good as us.” Well, that’s what happened to black soldiers back in the Civil War. Of course, it was a different time back then, but that’s not really an excuse since there’s never an excuse for slavery. Still, these soldiers (Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, etc)  lucked out by getting a commanding officer that wasn’t a total racist piece of… Well, they got a notable Hollywood good guy actor Matthew Broderick. Still, despite proving themselves to be incredible soldiers, these men were treated as expendable tools by the country they were fighting for.  

7. Remember the Titans 

Anyone who’s watched a football game in the past… ever, knows that black people are a huge part of the sport. Even after they started playing alongside their white counterparts in the NFL, the thought of a black man coaching was unconscionable to a lot of “good old boys and gals” for a long time. Those that were given an opportunity to prove they had what it took were met with hostility, especially when it came to high school sports. Denzel Washington makes another appearance on this list playing coach Herman Boone who was hired to coach at T. C. Williams High School. Not only does he have to battle parents, but even some of the white players don’t take him seriously. Luckily, they fall into line, and Herman is able to lead them to a State Championship. It’s a heartwarming story until you realize it’s set in the 80s, decades after the Civil Rights movement started.      

6. Fruitvale Station

Michael B. Jordan makes another appearance on this list of systemic racism movies. Fruitvale Station is based on the story of Oscar Grant III, a man wrongfully shot by police in 2009. Even though we know how the story ends for Grant, the film follows him over the course of a day as he struggles to get his life back together. It becomes clear early on that Grant isn’t a saint, but he’s also not a bag guy by any stretch of the imagination. He’s just a man that’s made some mistakes and wants to get on the right track. Fruitvale Station puts a lot of emphasis on establishing the relationships and good in Grant’s life, because it’s important to see the far-reaching devastation that follows the injustice of a police officer shooting an innocent man in the back. It’s a perfect example of the immediate vilification that black men face when dealing with law enforcement.