In the United States, February is Black History Month! (Also known as African-American History Month)
Originally started as a single week in 1926 as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora, it was eventually expanded to the entire month in 1970 at Kent State. Black History Month has since spread worldwide. As of recently, it is celebrated in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Ireland, and parts of Africa. Although it’s worth noting that the UK and Ireland celebrate it during the month of October!
But while everyone else is sharing facts about significant events or Black folks, I’m taking a different approach because I focus on LGBTQ films. Which is why I’m sharing with you 10 of the best queer films that highlight significant Black persons, key aspects of Black history, or are otherwise significant to African-American culture. So here are 10 Queer Films to Watch for Black History Month.
Within these 10 queer films are a mix of documentaries, feature films, and even an Oscar winner! So sit back and enjoy learning about these important films. I’m sure you’ll discover a few films you might not have even heard about – I actually haven’t seen them all yet!
Note: I would like to point out that as I not a Black man, even I may not fully understand the significance of these films. And I may say something that is wrong. I’m still learning myself. But it’s important that we keep trying to understand cultures that are different from our own and ensure that those cultures are not erased.
10 Queer Films to Watch for Black History Month
The tender, heartbreaking story of young man, Chiron’s, struggle to find himself, told across three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love, while grappling with his own sexuality.
In 2017, “Moonlight” shattered the lavender-ceiling when this queer film became the first gay film to win an Oscar for Best Picture! It’s clear why this queer drama won, as it showed the harsh reality of Chiron growing up queer as a black man living in poverty. While the subject matter is actually quite dark and gritty, so much of the film’s story lies in what is not always spoken aloud. That internal struggle of battling against others while growing up, while also battling against accepting one’s own sexuality is a key defining moment in Chiron’s life. However, the film won also because of how they told his story. Breaking up the story into three segments, and then casting different actors to accurately portray Chiron through each moment of his life worked extremely well. However, despite being a clear-cut award-winning film, I still felt a bit of a disconnect. But don’t let my experience diminish the fact that “Moonlight” is a MUST see among queer drama films!
Watch Moonlight on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Plex, and YouTube.
An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie’s abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing ‘Mister’ Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.
It’s been many years since I’ve seen this original film, based on the original novel by Alice Walker. However the powerful impact of this story cannot be forgotten. And while it is often downplayed, the lesbian & bisexual aspects of Celie and Shug Avery, respectively cannot be dismissed in even this adaptation from Steven Spielberg. A lot of this relationship and it’s impact upon the story is lost, and it’s a shame that many do not talk about “The Color Purple” as a lesbian film. But we can be certain – it IS a lesbian film and absolutely worth watching!
Watch The Color Purple on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Max, Paramount+, and YouTube.
A chronicle of New York’s drag scene in the 1980s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of those who gave the era its warmth and vitality.
Claimed by many to be one of the best – often THE best – queer documentary of all time, it actually took me until now to finally watch “Paris Is Burning”. I feel like I’ll probably get some snark for it and make a few enemies, but this queer documentary was just “meh” for me. As a documentary attempting to create a time capsule for the 1980’s ball scene in NYC – it gets a solid score on that front! Many phrases and elements of the modern gay lexicon come directly from the ball scene, so it was quite interesting to go more in depth into their origins. And director Jennie Livingston captures an oft-overlooked or even unknown yet crucial part of queer culture in a way that is honest and insightful. Yet it’s not entirely a positive story, especially when viewing this queer documentary today, over thirty years later knowing that many of the documentary’s key people are now gone.
However, my biggest issue with this queer documentary is that it’s too informative – but doesn’t really have a flow towards anything beyond just capturing the time. There is a LOT of terms, explanations, and more within this rather short documentary. Not that that’s a bad thing, for it’s quite an important piece of queer history! Unfortunately, watching “Paris Is Burning” simply didn’t meet the hyped up expectations I had for a queer documentary which many claim to be the best.
Watch Paris Is Burning on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Criterion Channel, and Max.
A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak and family in a desperate search for sexual expression.
I haven’t seen either “Pariah” nor the short film that it’s based upon yet. However reviews sound quite positive for this lesbian film. Many reviewers include “Pariah” on their list of top LGBTQ films that depict African American or Black Queer History, so there’s little doubt that it’s worth watching.
Watch Pariah on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube.
Describing herself as a ‘street queen,’ Johnson was a legendary fixture in New York City’s gay ghetto and a tireless voice for LGBT pride since the days of Stonewall, who along with fellow trans icon Sylvia Rivera, founded Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.), a trans activist group based in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Her death in 1992 was declared a suicide by the NYPD, but friends never accepted that version of events. Structured as a whodunit, with activist Victoria Cruz cast as detective and audience surrogate, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson celebrates the lasting political legacy of Johnson, while seeking to finally solve the mystery of her unexplained death.
Marsha P. Johnson is one of the trailblazing trans and queer folks who led the protests during the Stonewall Riots. This documentary presents her life and the events around the protests and the mystery of her death in a way that presents the history while highlighting Marsha’s life. I haven’t had the chance to watch this full documentary myself, but with the well-regarded reviews and mainly based on the queer relevance and importance of Marsha’s activism, this is a must-watch queer documentary.
Watch The Death And Life Of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix.
A 14-year-old boy, Ulysses, struggling with gender identity and religion, begins to use fantasy to escape his life in the inner city and find his passion in the process.
“Saturday Church” tells a heartfelt coming out and acceptance story within a safe environment. In fact, there really is a Saturday Church in NYC! With a unique blend of musical numbers that touch deep in our souls, this is quite an incredible queer fantasy film! The fantastical element is quite unique itself, as it’s within Ulysses’s creative mind that he finds escape which aids his own escape from a difficult home environment. However, it’s Kain’s amazing performance that really makes “Saturday Church” a film to watch! (There’s also a strong influence of the trans & queer black community, along with some great voguing & ballroom scenes.) If this queer fantasy film got skipped on your radar, find yourself a copy today and enjoy this fantastical adventure!
Watch Saturday Church on Amazon, Prime Video, Peacock TV, Plex, and Tubi.
The story of legendary blues performer Bessie Smith, who rose to fame during the 1920s and ’30s.
I haven’t watched “Bessie” yet, so I’m not quite sure whether it’s a decent queer film to watch or not. Especially as other film reviewers seem to be rather mixed on this film. However it’s worth noting that when it was released on HBO, it quickly skyrocketed to the most watch original film in the network’s history! But it’s Bessie’s relationship with her lover Lucille that places this important Black history film on the list of queer Black films worth watching. And since many other reviewers include it on the list of important Black queer films, then it certainly is worth the mention!
Watch Bessie on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Max, and YouTube.
A drag queen takes in a drug addict and her daughter and helps raise the daughter.
This TV movie is a bit of a surprise out of left field. Many felt that Ving Rhames as a drag queen would be too camp, laughable, and more – but WOW! I can’t say that I’ve seen many of his other films, but he brings a realness and grit to Holiday that is quite powerful. But the hidden talent is actually from Alfre Woodlard who portrays an addict that both makes us cringe and want to turn away, while also feeling extreme sorrow for how her character, Wanda, because we saw her full character arc. In a film that really dives deep into the concept of family and helping others, “Holiday Heart” is actually an excellent film.
Watch Holiday Heart on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Tubi.
After twenty-eight long days of absence, Sin-Dee is back on the block. It’s Christmastime, and everyone wants to get into the festive spirit; however, Sin-Dee is in for a shock when she accidentally discovers that Chester, the love of her life, has been cheating on her. And to think that poor Sin-Dee has been making plans for the future. To save what’s left of her dignity, heartbroken Sin-Dee embarks on a desperate mission to locate two-timing Chester, and no one can stop her–not even her best friend Alexandra, who vainly tries to be the voice of reason. Now, nothing can stand in the way of justice. After all, who wants to live a lie?
I’ll freely admit that I was not a huge fan of “Tangerine,” nor the target subcultures: drug dealers, addicts, prostitutes, et al. Overall, the storyline felt dragged out; running longer than it should’ve. Even adding the sub-story of the Armenian family’s debacles didn’t help. Although it did create a humorous scene when everything (finally) came together! Unfortunately, the reason why “Tangerine” was so remarkable didn’t actually help my impression of this queer trans film: it was shot entirely on three iPhone 5s! While the quality was great given the shooting cameras, there were other directorial and cinematographic issues that were problematic. However, it’s seen as a key trans film so I leave it to you to decide whether you enjoy it or not.
Watch Tangerine on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube.
Cheryl is young, Black, and lesbian, working in Philadelphia with her best friend Tamara and consumed by a film project: to make a video about her search for a Black actress from Philly who appeared in films in the 30s and was known as the Watermelon Woman. Following various leads, Cheryl discovers the Watermelon Woman’s stage name and real name and surmises that the actress had a long affair with Martha Page, a White woman and one of Hollywood’s few female directors. As she’s discovering these things, Cheryl becomes involved with Diana, who’s also White. The affair strains Cheryl’s friendship with Tamara. More discoveries bring Cheryl (and us, her audience) to new realizations.
This fictional “documentary” is one that I haven’t yet had the chance to watch. However, it’s worth watching because of its cultural significance to queer Black history and queer cinema. I strongly encourage you to add “The Watermelon Woman” to your watch list!
Watch The Watermelon Woman on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Criterion Channel.
Final Thoughts
So what did you think about these 10 LGBTQ films for Black History Month? Are any of these films your favorite? Or did I miss a more significant queer film about Black history and culture?
As I noted at the start, I haven’t had the chance to see all of them yet. Which is why those films are added to my growing watch list. Given the importance of these films and with many trying to erase Black history, it’s even more important that we ALL know these important cultural stories.
Comment below to share your thoughts!
