60+ Sports Films for Black History Month (Or Any Time!)
Black stories and accomplishments in the world of sports
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- DirectorStephen HopkinsStarsStephan JamesJason SudeikisEli GoreeJesse Owens' quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history thrusts him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy.
- DirectorBoaz YakinStarsDenzel WashingtonWill PattonWood HarrisIn 1971 Virginia high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the school board was forced to integrate an all-black school with an all-white one, the very foundation of football's tradition was put to the test.
- DirectorBrian HelgelandStarsChadwick BosemanT.R. KnightHarrison FordIn 1947, Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era when he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and faces considerable racism in the process.
- DirectorMary MazzioStarsCommonArshay CooperKen AlpartNarrated by Common, this film chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in this country (made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago, coming together to row in the same boat).
- DirectorSunu GoneraStarsTerrence HowardBernie MacKimberly EliseThe determined Jim Ellis starts a swim team for troubled teens at the Philadelphia Department of Recreation.
- DirectorLeon GastStarsMuhammad AliGeorge ForemanDon KingBoxing documentary on the 1974 world heavyweight championship bout between defending champion, George Foreman, and the underdog challenger, Muhammad Ali.
- DirectorSteve JamesStarsWilliam GatesArthur AgeeEmma GatesA film following the lives of two inner-city Chicago boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional.
- DirectorReinaldo Marcus GreenStarsWill SmithAunjanue Ellis-TaylorJon BernthalA look at how tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams became who they are after the coaching from their father Richard.
- DirectorGary FlederStarsRob BrownDennis QuaidClancy BrownA drama based on the life of college football hero Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy.
- DirectorKristopher BelmanStarsLeBron JamesDru JoyceRomeo TravisThis documentary follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his talented teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Ohio and James' journey to fame.
- StarsLarry BirdSatch SandersBill WaltonFeatures interviews and personal archives from the life and career of NBA legend Bill Russell.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsDenzel WashingtonVicellous ShannonDeborah Kara UngerThe story of Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.
- DirectorPierre BagleyStarsTaraji P. HensonTom FeltonMichael Clarke DuncanTennessee State University's new female golf coach assembles a team of international misfits for the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship.
- DirectorKen BurnsStarsJack JohnsonKeith DavidSamuel L. JacksonThe story of Jack Johnson, the first African-American Heavyweight boxing champion.
- DirectorThomas CarterStarsSamuel L. JacksonRick GonzalezRobert Ri'chardControversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.
- DirectorGeorge Tillman Jr.StarsKhris DavisJasmine MathewsSullivan JonesFueled by an impoverished childhood, George Foreman channeled his anger into becoming an Olympic Gold medalist and World Heavyweight Champion, followed by a near-death experience that took him from the boxing ring to the pulpit.
- DirectorEriq La SalleStarsDon CheadleJames Earl JonesMichael BeachA dramatization of the life of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault (Don Cheadle), with a lot of factual based occurrences. A reformed junkie returns from prison to clean up his act and devote the rest of his life to the young kids of Harlem. 1996 was the 25th anniversary of the first tournament named after him.
- DirectorPete McCormackStarsGeorge ChuvaloHenry CooperGeorge ForemanTen of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.
- DirectorClare LewinsStarsMuhammad AliGene KilroyRahman AliUnprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.
- DirectorBill SiegelStarsEamonn AndrewsMuhammad AliDavid SusskindThe legal battles of the great American boxer against being conscripted into the US military during the Vietnam War.
- DirectorPhilip MarcusStarsMike TysonMike Tyson's one-man show is a fascinating journey into his storied life and career.
- CreatorSteven RogersStarsTrevante RhodesRussell HornsbyOlunike AdeliyiThe wild, tragic, and controversial life and career behind one of the most polarizing figures in sports culture, heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
- DirectorHubert DavisStarsP.K. SubbanMarcel AlbersBlack Ice exposes a history of racism in hockey through the untold stories of Black hockey players, both past and present, in a predominantly white sport.
- DirectorMartin GuiguiStarsEverett OsborneCary ElwesJeremy PivenIn the fall of 1950, Nat 'Sweetwater' Clifton makes history in his journey to become the first African American to sign an NBA contract, forever changing the game of basketball.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsMorgan FreemanMatt DamonTony KgorogeNelson Mandela, in his first term as President of South Africa, initiates a unique venture to unite the Apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
- DirectorTim StoryStarsForest WhitakerIsaiah WashingtonShad MossAl, a basketball coach at a New Orleans high school, finally has a winning team when Hurricane Katrina happens. He tries to build a winning team anew after the hurricane.
- DirectorAkin OmotosoStarsDayo OkeniyiYetide BadakiUche AgadaBased on the real life story about the family that produced the first trio of brothers to become NBA champions in the history of the league.
- DirectorRyan PolomskiStarsRaymond LewisJerry TarkanianLorenzo RomarTells the hard-to-believe story of the mythical basketball legend from Watts California who was blackballed from the NBA in the early 70's following an ugly contract dispute with the Philadelphia 76ers.
- DirectorBud GreenspanStarsShirley Jo FinneyCicely TysonJason BernardThe story of American track sprinter Wilma Rudolph, who overcame physical handicaps to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics.
- DirectorRex MillerMeet Althea Gibson, the first African American to play and win at Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals.
- DirectorMaya WashingtonStarsSterling ArmstrongClinton JonesAlan PageIn 1963 Michigan State Head Coach Duffy Daugherty gave 23 African American young men the opportunity of a lifetime. The daughter of football legend Gene Washington uncovers how the first fully-integrated college football team in America changed the face of the game forever.
- DirectorJames BrownStarsJennese BaconLeodes van Buren Jr.Cameron GriffinStudents from South Los Angeles fly to New Zealand to play Rugby. A sport that is increasingly popular in the United States, the tour provides these students and the Kiwi teams they battle a rare opportunity to dig beneath the surface of things. On the field, troubled histories melt away, and we see boys rise as men; girls lead as women stronger for facing up to a challenge. 'Red, White, Black and Blue' provides a sensitive take on a rough game: it blends on-field triumph with off-field tragedy. If the spirit of these teens is any indication, the Olympic Rugby Gold Medal - currently held by the United States since it was last an Olympic sport in 1924 - may just be defensible after all.
- StarsKareem Abdul-JabbarBilly CrystalArsenio HallThe life and career of the NBA's all-time leading scorer; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
- DirectorDeborah MoralesThe story of the Harlem Rens: the greatest basketball team you never heard of.
- DirectorKirk FraserStarsLen BiasJames BrownBob WagnerFrom Legend to Tragedy. The name of former University of Maryland basketball superstar and Boston Celtics draft pick Len Bias still provokes powerful, and immediate responses, more than 20 years after his death.
- DirectorZatella BeattyStarsAllen IversonTom BrokawLarry BrownIverson is the ultimate legacy of NBA legend Allen Iverson, who rose from a childhood of crushing poverty in Hampton, Virginia, to become an 11-time NBA All-Star and universally recognized icon of his sport. Off the court, his audacious rejection of conservative NBA convention and unapologetic embrace of hip hop culture sent shockwaves throughout the league and influenced an entire generation. Told largely in Iverson's own words, the film charts the career highs and lows of one of the most distinctive and accomplished figures the sport of basketball has ever seen.
- StarsEarl MonroeFred WhittedBen JobeExamines Civil Rights-era America through the prism of basketball at historically black colleges and universities.
- StarsBilly CrystalLeBron JamesLarry WilmoreA look at the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.
- DirectorMaiken BairdMichelle MajorStarsRaul ArevaloArthur AsheVictoria AzarenkaEver since Venus and Serena Williams started playing in tennis tournaments, they've provoked strong reactions - from awe and admiration to suspicion and resentment. They've been winning championships for over a decade, pushing the limits of longevity in such a demanding sport. How long can they last? In Venus & Serena, we gain unprecedented access into their lives during the most intimidating year of their career. Over the course of 2011, Venus grappled with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease while Serena battled back from a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Neither Venus nor Serena let their adversities hold them back. They drew their greatest strength from each other.
- StarsKareem Abdul-JabbarMagic JohnsonPat RileyA look into Earvin Johnson's life, who left his mark on history through his work, and how he continues to impact our culture today.
- DirectorMichael TollinStarsHank AaronDusty BakerHarry BelafonteThe life and career of the great baseball champion, Hank Aaron.
- DirectorAlex StapletonStarsReggie JacksonHank AaronMuhammad AliFollows the story of baseball megastar Reggie Jackson as he contemplate his legacy as one of the first iconic black athletes, a pioneer in the fight for dignity, respect, and a seat at the table.
- DirectorJon StrongStarsHank AaronAndrew YoungCal RipkenIn 1955, when racial segregation defined the South, two groups of twelve-year-old boys stepped onto a baseball field in a non-violent act of cultural defiance that would change the course of history.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsArt ModellWalter BeachEd WalshAn in-depth portrait of football legend and action movie star Jim Brown, including discussions about his childhood, his unequaled football career, his success in Hollywood, and his brushes with the law in his later years.
- StarsMichael JordanPhil JacksonScottie PippenLed by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.
- StarsKevin GarnettJemele HillPat RileyThe life of Wilt Chamberlain and his contribution to American history, emerging on the national scene as a high school student in the 1950s until his death in 1999, with his cultural impact in power, money, race, sex and politics.
- DirectorSimon GeorgeStarsNigel CollinsHelen-Jean LongJerry IzenbergOvercoming the seemingly insurmountable odds that life threw his way, Liston became heavyweight champion of the world when he knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962. Eight years later, he died but friends questioned the cause of his death.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsBill CosbyJim BrownDiana RossOne of the most iconic figures in athletic history, Muhammad Ali's incredible story from world champion boxer to inspiring social activist is explored through his own voice and never-before-seen archival material.
- DirectorTom ShadyacStarsAldis HodgeGreg KinnearSherri ShepherdA football player's dreams to play in the NFL are halted when he is wrongly convicted and sent to prison. Years later, he fights to clear his name within an unjust system.
- DirectorRex MillerSam PollardStarsJohnnie AsheBeth BarnesLoretta BurnetteExplores the tennis career of Arthur Ashe and his impact on tennis and HIV activism.
- StarsShaquille O'NealMagic JohnsonChris LinesIt showcases the life of the Lakers champion O'Neal from sports phenom to cultural figure.
- DirectorBen TurnerGabe TurnerStarsUsain BoltNugent Walker Jr.Ricky SimmsThe legacy of the fastest man in history, Usain Bolt.
- DirectorJake ScottStarsEliud KipchogeA man's struggle against himself and against time. Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge dreams of completing a marathon distance of less than two hours. An achievement that is considered unattainable for a human being. Here we follow him as he prepares to break the impossible record. Is he able to break the magical two-hour limit and write history?
- DirectorSam PollardStarsHank AaronMonte IrvinSam PollardBased on the journey of the Negro Baseball League.
- DirectorBen NicholasDavid TryhornStarsPeléMuhammad AliAmarildoLooks back at the extraordinary 12-year period in which Pelé, the only man to win three World Cup titles, went from young superstar in 1958 to national hero in 1970; a radical yet turbulent era in Brazil’s history.
- DirectorVanessa PariseStarsJulius TennonTisha CampbellRaven BowensThe America gymnast Simone Biles' road to success including all the trials and tribulations that she faced.
- DirectorBill GallagherStarsEric BrownRusty CofrinJacob LaguA refugee marathoner strives to raise his new country's flag at the Olympics.
- DirectorReginald HudlinStarsJay ReevesJavien JacksonThaddeus J. MixsonThe story of Ray-Ray McElrathbey, a freshman football player for Clemson University who secretly raised his younger brother on campus after his home life became too unsteady.
- DirectorLaurence Mathieu-LegerStarsWillie O'ReeGary BettmanWayne GretzkyDocumentary about Willie O'Ree who was the first black hockey player who played in National Hockey League for Boston Bruins in 1957-58 and 1960-61 seasons.
- CreatorAva DuVernayColin KaepernickStarsJaden MichaelNick OffermanMary-Louise ParkerThis drama series from Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay explores Kaepernick's high-school years and the experiences that led him to become an activist.
- DirectorCoodieChike OzahStarsStephon MarburyRonald StewartFeature documentary about the rise and fall, and rebirth of ex-NBA star, Stephon Marbury.
- StarsDezmond WashingtonJohn MosleyRob RobinsonExplore an honest and gritty look inside the world of community college basketball.
- DirectorDamon Kwame MasonStarsSean BrownAnson CarterDon CherryThis film presents and retells the unknown contributions of black athletes in ice hockey.
- DirectorNate AdamsAdam CarollaStarsWilly T. RibbsPhillip RibbsGeraldine RibbsAn in-depth profile of the life and career of Willy T. Ribbs - the controversial Black driver who shattered the color barrier of professional auto-racing and became the first Black qualifier in the storied history of the Indy 500.
- StarsDarrell Wallace Jr.Follows the NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace as he competes for the 23XI Racing team.