A guide on what to watch on Disney+ for Black History Month

From 1993 classic Cool Runnings to inspiring true story Hidden Figures

Author: Hannah MellinPublished 7th Oct 2022

Here at Downtown Radio we celebrate and support black culture and music every day. We see Black History Month as a chance to shine a light on who we are, and to stimulate thought and conversation in our audience.

October marks Black History Month, and in the UK this year the theme is Time for Change: Action Not Words. While we champion watching diverse films all year round, Disney+ has put together a collection of films and series to celebrate Black History Month.

The collection celebrates work that is made by and prominently feature black talent, as well as focusing on black history in film and documentaries, black history now, tales of sporting victory, music and culture.

As well as the existing films on Disney+, the platform is also adding new titles including X/Onerated, Let The World See and Screen Queens Rising. You can stream all of the below movies and TV series on Disney+ all year round.

Check out some of the best films to watch on Disney+ this October...

X/Onerated

Newly released X/Onerated profiles of Muhammad Abdul Aziz, a man who was wrongfully convicted of Malcolm X's assassination. Featuring the first TV interview with Aziz since his exoneration. The special retraces Malcolm X's shocking 1965 assassination, Aziz's decades behind bars and on parole, and the devastating impact on Aziz's family.

Screen Queens Rising

Released on 14th October, Screen Queens Rising explores how black actresses, a historically overlooked and under-valued group in Hollywood, have in recent years begun to ascend to the top echelons of entertainment and American culture. The special examines how black actresses of Hollywood have become power brokers and the iconic moments and roles that have paved the way for them today.

Let The World See

Let The World See is a series released on Disney+ on 12th October. This series is a fresh and deep examination of a mother's fight to bring her son's body home to Chicago – and her pivotal, yet heart-breaking, decision to have an open-casket funeral for the public to see. Her decision ultimately serves as a turning point for the civil rights movement as she journeys to face her son's murderers in court.

Hidden Figures

Released in 2016, Hidden Figures tells the story of three female African-American mathematicians who play a pivotal role in astronaut John Glenn's launch into orbit. The true story, starring Janelle Monáe, Octavia Spencer and Taraji P. Henson, is thought provoking and up lifting.

Jordan Rides The Bus

In the autumn of 1993 and when he was in his prime, basketball legend Michael Jordan walked away from pro basketball following the death of his father and issues with gambling. Jordan Rides The Bus tells the story of Michael rekindling his childhood love for baseball during the toughest time of his life. What happened when he pursued a new sporting career?

LA 92

Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92 gathers rarely seen archival footage that examines the crucial events.

Queen of Katwe

Queen of Katwe follows the story of a chess prodigy from an Ugandan slum. The 2016 film was based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, who took up chess aged nine despite not being in school and went on to compete in international tournaments. It stars Lupita Nyong'o and David Oyelowo.

Ruby Bridges

The true story of Ruby Bridges, an African-American girl who, in 1960 and at age 6, helped to integrate and the segregarding of all-white schools of New Orleans. She truly changed history...

Red Tails

Red Tails is a beautiful tribute to a squadron of pilots known as the Tuskegee airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the air. A true story full of heroes despite hideous discrimination.

Cool Runnings

A Disney cult classic, Cool Runnings is loosely based on the Jamaican bobsled team's appearance in the 1988 Olympic Games.
Prepare to be transported back to the 80s.

Belle

Belle is a period drama inspired by the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy admiral in the 18th Century. Despite growing up in aristocratic home, her background makes her an outsider as she is encouraged to find a husband.

Summer Of Soul

A 2021 documentary film about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which was held for six weeks. Despite having performers such as Stevie Wonder, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the festival was seen as 'obscure' in pop culture.