If you want to learn about the life of Malcolm X, there are several movies that you should watch. These movies will educate and inspire you, and they will help you understand the important role that Malcolm X played in the civil rights movement. In this blog post, we will discuss 8 must-see movies about Malcolm X. We will also provide brief summaries of each movie so that you can decide which ones to watch first!
Malcolm X [1972]
This documentary, which tells the life and times of civil rights leader Malcolm X through interviews and footage from his public speeches, as well as an outstanding voiceover narrator (James Earl Jones), brings his history, philosophy, and legacy to life. The filmmakers demonstrate how spirituality assisted Malcolm in forming the notion that African-Americans needed to take charge of their own destiny.
Death of a Prophet [1981]
This film chronicles the last 12 years of Malcolm X’s life, from his time with the Nation of Islam to his work with the Organization of Afro-American Unity to his assassination in 1965. Death of a Prophet is an important film because it provides a detailed and nuanced portrayal of Malcolm X’s life and work.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X [1992]
This biographical drama was directed by Spike Lee and stars Denzel Washington as Malcolm X. The film Malcolm X’s life from his childhood in Detroit to his years as a street hustler in Boston and New York City, to his time spent in prison, to his work with the Nation of Islam, to his assassination in 1965.
Malcolm X: Make It Plain [1994]
The documentary Malcolm X: Make It Plain chronicles the life and work of the late activist and leader. Using archival footage and interviews with those who knew him best, the film offers new insights into Malcolm X’s life, his activism, and his legacy.
Blood Brother [2021]
The remarkable backstory of Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X’s famed friendship: the brilliant, extroverted Olympic champion who charmed the nation, and the ex-con-turned intellectual revolutionary who rallied against racism.
The Hate that Hate Produced [1959]
This documentary investigates the Nation of Islam, its charismatic leader Elijah Muhammad, and its most famous follower, Malcolm X. The film explores the rise of the Nation of Islam in the 1930s and 1940s, and how it became a powerful force in the African-American community.
One Night in Miami… [2020]
One Night in Miami… is a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 1960s. Based on true events, One Night in Miami… looks at the legacy of these four men and the impact they had on the world.
I Am Not Your Negro [2016]
In I Am Not Your Negro, director Raoul Peck envisions the book that James Baldwin never wrote. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin’s original words and footage of the civil rights movement, as well as his observations on the lives and assassinations of Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King, Jr. I Am Not Your Negro is a journey into black history that connects the past of the civil rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions whether America has changed since Baldwin’s time, and asks how much has really changed for African Americans since the days of slavery.
What are your thoughts on these movies about Malcolm X? Have you seen any of them? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to check out our other blog post about movies that educate and inspire you. Thanks for reading!
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