20 Black TV Shows and Movies That Impacted Media
1. The Cosby Show
Created and produced by Bill Cosby, The Cosby Show remains one of the most influential programs in television history. Its impact rested in depicting a family that happened to be Black, rather than a family defined solely by their "Blackness" as a plot device. As the first major sitcom to showcase a wealthy, professional Black family—rather than relying on economic-struggle tropes for comedy—it broke significant ground. The show’s impact was backed by massive ratings; it is one of only three programs in history to hold the number one spot for five consecutive seasons. By portraying Black families as wealthy and educated, it helped fundamentally shift the trajectory of the American sitcom.
2. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air remains a cultural phenomenon decades later because of its infectious theme song, iconic '90s aesthetic, and relatable character dynamics. Much like The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air belonged to a revolutionary era that explored the diversity of the Black experience, specifically in the context of Black wealth and excellence. However, it went a step further by guaranteeing every character in the Banks household was multidimensional. By balancing slapstick humor with poignant explorations of class, fatherhood, and identity, the series proved it was light-years ahead of its contemporaries.
3. Girlfriends
Girlfriends is frequently lauded for being ahead of its time, remaining deeply relevant to Black women today. The show continues to resonate through its timeless fashion, makeup, and hair, which still inspire women’s style today. Beyond the aesthetic, the series explored the nuances of friendship, love, and professional ambition with honesty and comedy. While television was then saturated with ensembles featuring white women, Girlfriends was a pioneer in exploring the unique layers and internal dynamics of a Black female friend group.
4. Black-ish
While Black-ish was often a large source of controversy because of its title and uncomfortable topics, its impact on the modern media landscape cannot be denied. The show functions as a mirror to modern society because it tackled "classic" racial prejudices alongside the nuanced issues that arise in an increasingly multicultural world. Despite public backlash from powerful people such as President Trump, the series thrived. Its fearlessness in addressing systemic racism and cultural identity turned it into a phenomenon, forcing audiences to confront how deeply these issues remain embedded in the modern world.
5. Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is a hilarious sitcom created by Quinta Brunson that draws much-needed attention to the challenges faced by underfunded public schools in America. The show appeals to audiences of all races and ages, thanks to its diverse cast of characters and themes that address the current state of public education and hit close to home. Abbott does a tremendous job of showing the professional ups and downs of the field while portraying teachers as real, relatable people. Ultimately, the series highlights the deep impact instructors can have on their students’ lives.
6. Coming to America
Coming to America is a comedically brilliant film that successfully confronts stereotypes about Africans and African Americans in the United States. By contrasting and celebrating the culture and everyday lives of people in both the fictional African kingdom of Zamunda and Queens, New York, the film delivers a unique cross-cultural perspective. It has since become a foundation of pop culture, remembered for iconic lines like “I believe the children are our future” and the vibrant African fashion showcased throughout. Furthermore, the film challenged traditional gender roles by featuring multidimensional and empowered women, cementing its place as a progressive and timeless classic.
7. Princess and the Frog
While The Princess and the Frog has been criticized for falling short in modernizing the Black female experience, it remains a vital addition to this list for the historical importance of Tiana as Disney's first Black princess. Highlighting that "firsts" are rarely perfect, the film nonetheless represented a major step forward for representation. Tiana embodies the classic virtues of a Disney protagonist—hardworking, kind, and driven by a quest for true love—proving she belongs in the royal pantheon. Despite the critiques, Tiana’s debut broke barriers and paved the way for the many strong Black Disney characters who have followed in her footsteps.
8. Roots
The highly decorated miniseries Roots played a defining role in how Americans consume television. Prior to its release, most shows featuring Black characters were comedic sitcoms that often neglected the difficult subjects shaping the Black experience. However, Roots showed the public that the brutal realities of slavery were nothing to laugh at. Interestingly, the show unintentionally sparked the "binge-watching" trend. Fearing the intense subject matter might not be well received, the ABC network aired the entire series over eight consecutive nights to avoid a possible long-term ratings slump—a move that backfired in the best way possible. The show became a cultural phenomenon, bolstered by a star-studded cast including Leslie Uggams and Ben Vereen, whose mainstream popularity helped bridge the gap with white audiences. Despite the heavy topics it tackled, the American public remained captivated, cementing the show's place in history.
9. That’s so Raven
That’s So Raven was the breath of fresh air that Disney Channel needed. The show appealed to audiences across demographics and was so popular that it became the first series to break Disney’s long-standing 65-episode rule. Winning two Emmys, the sitcom launched Raven-Symoné’s acting career and cemented her status as a Disney it-girl. The show tackled relatable teenage topics—like the classic disastrous first date—while remaining hilarious and showcasing the iconic, layered, and funky Disney fashion of the era.
10. Boyz n the Hood
The portrayal of racial inequality, family life, and capitalism in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood was a groundbreaking and relevant film, then and now. The film gives the viewer a high level of confrontation when seeing the causalities, poverty, and systemic oppression that the main characters living in South Central, Los Angeles experience. The large success the movie received while sharing harsh representation of the struggles Black men in America face gave Hollywood a shift to seeing the commercial value of urban dramas. The film also made John Singleton the youngest and first Black Best Director Oscar nominee.
11. Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures - the biographical film about three groundbreaking Black women working at NASA during the Space Race gave much needed attention to the women not just as historical figures, but also for many forgotten women in STEM. The movie adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s book follows Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson doing brilliant work while overcoming racial and gender discrimination. Seeing those pioneering women portrayed by some of Hollywood’s biggest actresses like Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae gave the most deserving honor to those scientists, as well as inspired a new generation of Black female scientists.
12. Sinners
Sinners saw success in the box-office, as well as successful portrayal of a history of Black music, gathering, and community. Director, Ryan Coogler created a very original portrayal of the Black experience blending genres and using the vampires as an allegory for oppression. The film encapsulated the influence of music to Black culture from African tradition to modern genres in one scene alone but also featured cinematography excellence and powerful performances from established and upcoming Black actors. Sinners grossed $365+ million worldwide and received 16 Oscar nominations.
13. Black Panther
Marvel’s 2018 film, Black Panther directed by black director Ryan Coogler was an instant favorite within the black community and beyond. Taking place in an African nation that is the most advanced and powerful in the world with a strong culture intact had never been seen before in Hollywood. The power, wealth, and beauty of the Black people portrayed in Wakanda (the fictional setting) elicited immediate pride and engagement from Black people around the world, Marvel fans or not. The stunning costuming, sets, and events of the movie draw heavily from traditional African culture with a unique modern outlook. This movie became especially important to Black media because of the representation existing without typical struggle tropes, systemic issues, or stereotypes.
14. Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The 2018 movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, left an enormous impact of the Black community for many of reasons. Miles Morales, the movies main character, was a mixed-race child and represented both the African American community as well as the Puerto Rican community, he was also the first character of either race to portray Spider-Man. The movie does a fantastic job with embedding Black and Latino culture, with the use of Spanish dialogue and the inclusion of early hip hop songs, which reinforces a sense of cultural pride and authenticity. One of the movies most impactful messages was that “Anyone can wear the mask,” and this allowed more black and brown children to see themselves as superheroes, something that was constantly overlooked in earlier superhero and action films. The success of the film that featured a Black teen fostered many opportunities for new stories to be represented by Black characters and it challenged Hollywood’s traditional and often stereotypical depiction of Black characters.
15. Get Out
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut with his horror film Get Out saw significant box office success and fandom because of his creative address to racism. Peele captures a Black experience more popular in recent history of racism not always being of the same type of outward prominence or violence, but still haunting and manipulative. The combination of nuanced storytelling and powerful performances redefined 21st century horror and earned itself the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
16. Insecure
The HBO series Insecure achieved massive cultural impact because of its relatable approach and easily recognizable experiences. Issa Rae created and stared in the five-season series basing it off the Black millennial experience and characters many viewers could understand. The comedy series depicts Black stories without all of the stereotypes that the media uses which are not always relevant to individuals' lives. The show allowed the characters to showcase their Black culture without making the whole show about them being Black with an authentic focus on dating, friendship, and life shifts tied in humor.
17. The Hate U Give
The 2018 movie, The Hate U Give, made a significant impact on the Black community by directly recognizing the trauma of police brutality, the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the reality of code-switching. The film shows the reality of systemic racism and police brutality toward black youth and through the main character, Starr, it addresses the strength of Black youth and the importance to advocate for justice, even when it is difficult. The movies also gave a deeper meaning to the Black Lives Matter movement and how it was not just a trend but a needed response to the dangerous and persistent prejudices Black people face in the US. A unique part of the movie was its highlighting of “code-switching,” where Starr often felt pressured to do so between her underserved neighborhood and her predominantly white high school. Overall, The Hate U Give provided a raw insight to the realities of police brutality and racism in the US against Black youth and presents an emotional and validating story that represents Black humanity, youth activism, and empowering Black youth to speak out against racism and use their voice to fight for justice.
18. Dreamgirls
The movie-musical Dreamgirls depicts the careers of historical and successful Black musicians under pseudonyms and plot changes. Following the career of influential group The Supremes and Motown as a premier Black music label, the film showcases the racism, colorism, discrimination, and success many famous individuals like Diana Ross, James Brown, and Aretha Franklin experienced. Though set in the music industry of the 1960s and 70s, the film reflects many current social issues within music and beyond. Dreamgirls received major commercial success for its depiction of legends in Black music through some of today’s most popular stars in music and Hollywood.
19. Homecoming: The Movie
Beyoncé’s film edition of her 2018 Coachella headline performance, Homecoming, is an influential piece of black media because of the strong black culture influence and representation. Coachella is historically a predominantly white audience and performer festival, and Beyoncé became the first black woman to headline. Her performance was heavily influenced by the music and dance seen at HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) with a full drum-line, steppers, and majorette dancers. Beyoncé bringing the culture that many of her fans are apart of to such a large stage and then again on Netflix was groundbreaking, and much needed appreciation.
20. Friday
Friday is a certified cult classic for the Black community. The simple plot of the movie is not only easy to follow and laugh with, but it also redefined Black storytelling in urban/hood settings and in general. American mass media loves to profit off the traumatic tropes and stereotypes Black people experience, but Friday allowed the audience to laugh. Though the film does posses some of the same clichés or elements as other films set around Black people living in the hood, being able to put humor around it brought many pop culture references and enjoyment.
