By Beds SU
Monday, 2 October 2023
In celebration of Black History Month, we've gathered the following list of recommended and critically-acclaimed TV programmes, films and books. The theme this year is ‘Saluting our Sisters’ so we have incorporated In our list, projects that have been predominantly created by or starring black women not just from the UK but around the world.
We've also chosen media that provides an insightful look into the everyday life experiences of black people, their achievements and the culture that black people have contributed to society.
TV Programmes
Desmond’s
Desmond’s is a British sitcom created by Trix Worrell based in the centre of Peckham in Desmond’s Barbershop. The show follows the life of Desmond Ambrose, his family, friends and customers and showcases the life of a migrant family during the Windrush Generation .
Available to watch on All 4
Insecure
Issa Rae’s web series ‘Awkward Black Girl’ became so popular on YouTube, American Network powerhouse HBO picked it up and developed it into a comedy-drama TV series. Issa Rae is a Program Creator, Executive Producer and Writer on the show that received a score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Available to buy on Apple TV and Prime Video
The Other Black Girl
Based on the book of the same title, The Other Black Girl is a new series following Nella, an editorial assistant at a white NYC publishing firm. Everything changes however, when a new black co-worker arrives.
Available to watch on Disney+
Riches
Riches is a British drama created by Abby Ajayi focusing on Stephen Richards and the Cosmetics empire he’s built. But when he suffers a stroke, everything starts to change. A show that received a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, it serves as a notice that Black women are taking the industry by storm .
Available to stream on ITVX
Sister, Sister
Real life identical twins Tia and Tamera star as identical twins in this American sitcom where the twins are separated at birth and adopted by different parents. A chance encounter reunites them as teenagers but just because they look alike doesn’t mean they are alike.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Hair Tales
A dynamic celebration of Black Women’s identity, beauty, culture and humanity, uniquely expressed through stories of their hair and how it relates to their everyday lives.
Available to stream on Disney+
Films
The Woman King
Loosely based on the real life Agojie of the Kingdom of Dahomey, this historical action movie showcases the force of the all-female warrior unit.
Available to stream on NOW TV
The Secret Life of Bees
This film, based on the novel of the same name, is a coming-of-age story that focuses on loss, betrayal and the landscape of the United States during the civil rights era in the American South.
Available to stream on Disney+
Venus and Serena
Two of the greatest sportspeople to ever grace the game are followed by filmmakers Maiken Baird and Michelle Major to showcase the on and off the courts battles they go through in whilst being at the top of the sport.
Available to stream on Prime Video
Hidden Figures
Based on a true story, three female mathematicians play a pivotal role in the launch of astronaut John Glenn’s mission to space. But everything is not as straightforward as it seems.
Available to watch at the Beds SU film event on Wednesday 25th @ 6pm at the Metro, Luton Campus or Disney+
Think Like a Man
Adapted from Steve Harvey’s New York Times Best Seller ‘Act Like a Lady Think Like a Man’, Think Like A Man is a romantic comedy following the lives of four friends and their partners and the mysterious relationship advice book.
Available to buy on YouTube and Apple TV
First Match
This film follows Monique, a teenage girl who’s spent years in foster care in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighbourhood and her exposure to the world of all-boys amateur wrestling.
Available to stream on Netflix
Books
Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
Amayo’s debut novel serves as lesson in self-discovery as two women embark on a journey that changes the lives of everyone around them forever. Set in a world with inspiration from medieval Igboland in the Kingdom of Nri, Amayo provides an epic instalment to the world of fantasy.
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
Bowen’s debut novel is a deep dive into the world of fantasy with a blend of history and African mythology that sets the foundation for an epic love story.
Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
Part memoir, part historical analysis, Akala’s Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire is a book that provides an insight to the life experiences of the author and tackles various themes that permeate through society. The book also tackles the ideology of meritocracy and gives an interpretation of what that truly means.
Dream Country by Ashaye Brown
A whirlpool of family feuds, and jealousy throughout, Dream Country is a the telling of a tale that infuses Kenyan, Brazillian, Caribbean and Grecian cultures into a world that just keeps giving. Or taking.
My Sister, the Seiral Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Serving as Braithwaite’s debut novel, My Sister, the Serial Killer is a thriller that takes you on a ride through themes of loyalty and social ethics all the while asking the question, is and should blood really be thicker than water?
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
The third Novel by Jamaican author Marlon James, A Brief History of Seven Killings explores multiple events in modern history including the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in 1976 and the Crack Wars in New York City during the 1980s.