38 Black Family Movies On Disney+ To Watch Together
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Finding the perfect thing to watch for family movie night isn’t always easy. If you’re looking for movies with Black leads, you can find yourself even more challenged.
That’s not to say there haven’t been strides made in filmmaking in recent years. And while there’s still plenty of work to do, one place you can go to for family-friendly Black entertainment is Disney+:
1.
Hidden Figures
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Despite the popularity of Hidden Figures, there are still so many who don’t know the story of the three Black women at NASA who made John Glenn’s space orbit possible. Not only is it a powerful story about women in STEM, but also a great history lesson for your family to later discuss.
2.
Remember the Titans
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Remember the Titans can be a tearjerker, but it’s a really beautiful story about teamwork, friendship, and how our similarities eclipse our differences. Based on the true story of a team playing in 1970s Virginia, the film explores the racial tensions of the time while also looking at the things that bring us together.
3.
Black Is King
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Beyoncé’s visual album is full of celebrations of Blackness, and while it isn’t made specifically for kids and does explore some mature themes, it is full of really empowering messaging celebrating African culture and uplifting Black people.
4.
A Wrinkle in Time
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Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of this classic tale brings it into the modern era with an inclusive retelling that still honors the original. It’s a great movie for kids who are into adventure and love a twisted, intense story.
5.
Ruby Bridges
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Ruby Bridges tells the tale of the little girl who was chosen to be the first Black student integrated into a New Orleans elementary school following the end of segregation. Based on the true story, it takes an age-appropriate look at the racism that plagued that time and how change doesn’t come easy.
6.
The Princess and the Frog
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Princess Tiana, Disney’s first Black princess, has a gorgeous, soulful tale that celebrates the bayou of Louisiana. Tiana is chasing her dream of owning her own restaurant when she meets a frog prince that takes her on a fun-filled adventure.
7.
Cool Runnings
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A team of Jamaican bobsledders go on a hilarious adventure as they look for snow and their chance at the Winter Olympics…but since they’ve never seen snow, they have no real experience. It’s an uphill battle in more ways than one. Luckily, they make a friend with just the right experience who’s up for the challenge.
8.
Safety
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Safety is based on the true story of Ray McElrathbey, a Clemson University football player who was juggling being a student-athlete when he learned of his mother’s relapse and got temporary custody of his little brother. He asks his friends for support and gets it, but when the adults learn of the elaborate solution, they force him to confess. Once it’s out in the open, Ray and his family are met with more support than ever.
10.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
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A newcomer from Disney+ as of February 1, everyone must regroup after King T’Challa’s death. Figuring out how to forge ahead in grief makes for a powerful and emotional film that also still delivers on the action.d
11.
Up, Up, And Away
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Scott Marshall is ready to grow up — now he needs the universe to get with the program. A week away from his 14th birthday, he finds himself with no signs of the superpowers that are supposed to be present at that age, leaving him worrying there’s something wrong at a time when he desperately needs things to go right.
This film was directed by and stars living legend Robert Townsend.
12.
Red Tails
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Red Tails tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of Black United States Army Air Force pilots who served heroically in World War II. This modernized look at the historic story engages viewers and teaches them about important figures in history that have too often gone overlooked.
14.
Soul
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Soul has a lot of heart and explores the afterlife, which may not be a conversation every kid is ready for. That said, death is an important topic that will inevitably have to be discussed. Disney/Pixar found a lighthearted way to do so, accompanied by great music and a heartfelt message.
15.
Loop
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This beautiful short film focuses on the budding relationship between a non-verbal girl with autism and a chatty boy who figure out how to be friends with each other. It’s a quick hit full of heart, so get your tissues ready.
16.
The Color of Friendship
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The Color of Friendship rings a little more after-school special-y than some of the other picks on this list. It follows the story of Mahree, a white girl from South Africa who has lived there during apartheid, as she comes to study abroad in Washington, D.C. She stays at the home of a Black senator and finds herself at odds with his daughter, Piper. Through figuring out their differences, they learn about all of the things they have in common.
18.
Queen of Katwe
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A little girl from Uganda rises to greatness after learning the game of chess. What starts as a hobby turns into her pursuit of victory at the World Chess Olympiads. The film is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi.
20.
Sister Act
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This Whoopi Goldberg classic sees her starting over after ending up in Witness Protection, going from life as a jazz lounge singer to life in a convent as a nun. She quickly learns that the women aren’t all that different from her and bring them together with music in a choir.
21.
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
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Deloris Van Cartier’s (Whoopi Goldberg) former nun friends come to find her to ask a favor, leading her to go back to the school as Sister Mary Clarence, with more twists, and turns, and delightful moments than before.
22.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
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The combination of Whitney Houston and Brandy is a truly powerful one that brought life and vibrance to the Cinderella story like never before. It’s a beautiful, though bittersweet, movie to revisit.
23.
Jump In
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Jump In follows Izzy Daniels, a boxing ace much like his dad, who gets into double dutch. What starts around as a favor for a friend turns into a genuine fascination that interferes with the things he thought he wanted for himself.
24.
College Road Trip
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Martin Lawrence plays an awesome overprotective dad in this family-friendly comedy. Here, he’s James Porter, a police officer who tags along with his brilliant daughter (Raven-Symoné) on a road trip where she tries to find the perfect college for her.
25.
The Cheetah Girls
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A fun woman-led movie that makes you want to sing and dance. Cheetah Girls was MAJOR success when it first debuted and this unique mix of divas makes it obvious why. It’s sweet and poppy, and maybe a bit cheesy, but a lot of fun!
26.
Cheetah Girls 2
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The second movie is much of the same vibe as the girls chase their dreams from New York all the way to Barcelona. The change of pace makes it feel more like a musical and that gives it a little something extra.
29.
Twitches Too
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It was so good they had to come back for a round two! This time, the twins learn that their father, who they believed to be dead, may be alive after all — within an evil realm. They fight for the truth, and it’s a fun film for fans of the first for sure.
30.
Let It Shine
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Abbott Elementary fans will love seeing Tyler James Williams in this earlier role, where he plays Cryrus DeBarge — a nod to Cyrano de Bergerac, on which this is loosely based — a shy musician who is working up to telling someone special how he feels. The film combines gospel and hip hop in a really unique and engaging way. Viewers will also get to see a young Coco Jones (Bel-Air), Trevor Jackson (Grown-ish), and Chloe x Halle.
31.
Jett Jackson: The Movie
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Art and reality flip, leading Jett Jackson to navigate middle school life as his fictional counterpart, Silverstone. This movie is an engaging what-if that comes with tons of fun twists and turns, especially for fans of the series, The Famous Jett Jackson.
32.
The Poof Point
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Teen siblings have to team up to save their parents, a pair of inventors whose latest project accidentally renders them back in their teenage forms, believing they’re in the ’80s trying to build a time machine in college. While they try to fix it, the two learn that they have more in common with their parents than they ever thought.
33.
Haunted Mansion
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Eddie Murphy is great as a hard-working realtor who takes his fellow realtor wife and family on a trip that’s part vacation, part business. They quickly become trapped in a haunted mansion, relying on a psychic to get them out.
34.
Full Court Miracle
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Full Court Miracle is the definition of a DCOM with meaning, based on the true story of Lamont Carr, the first Black student-athlete to graduate from the University of Virginia Cavaliers, who went on to coach a Hebrew academy’s underdog basketball team to a successful season. The boys learn how their beliefs relate to Carr’s experience.
36.
Beauty & the Beast: A 30th Celebration
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H.E.R. is truly stunning as Belle in this celebration of a Disney classic. She is an incredible force musically and breathes new life into a Disney princess who has been portrayed similarly time and time again.
37.
Rise
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Basketball fans will love this story about the Nigerian-Greek brothers that have taken over the NBA — Giannis, Thanasis, and Kostas Antetokounmpo, and their younger brother Alex, as they navigate finding a place to call home and seeing where their love of the game has taken them. The heartwarming story of perseverance is an inspiring pick.
38.
Lastly, Summer of Soul
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Questlove brings attention to the other musical revolution that was happening in the ’60s, and the artists that brought it all together at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969. It wasn’t just about music, but it also highlights culture and fashion. History buff families will enjoy this award winner, which combines documentary film with concert film.
Which movie are you planning on diving into first! Let us know in the comments below!
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