No one reflects the courage we celebrate on Memorial Day better than the millions of Black veterans and changemakers who showed up on the front lines. Many fought for a country that didn’t show them the respect they deserved, and yet, they still served with pride and duty. Now it’s our turn to honor men and women who put it all on the line to reshape the country, protect their communities, and fight against the odds stacked against them.
While your weekend plans may be booked with parades and cookouts, you may want to squeeze in some time to binge our curated list of nostalgic military and Black Americana tearjerkers that put some of our most memorable moments on screen. We’ve also added a couple of modern classics to our rotation, curating the perfect streaming queue of entertainment that will make you stand up and salute.
W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause, PBS
We all heard the name in history class, but this fresh, deep dive on the civil rights pioneer who helped start it all is the perfect way to kick off celebrations. PBS dropped its latest doc on W.E.B. Du Bois, unpacking how the history maker shaped the fight for Black equality in the post-emancipation era. Extra points for Viola Davis’ powerful narration about this “rebel with a cause,” making this an automatic must-watch for the weekend.
The Six Triple Eight, Netflix
The hundreds of Black women who stepped up and served in uniform deserve their flowers, too. In 2024, Kerry Washington left audiences in tears with her portrayal of Major Charity Adams in this World War II drama centered around the Black Women’s Army Corps unit tasked with sorting mountains of missing mail bound for soldiers on the front lines. It was a bold step in the right direction to recognize Black women for refusing to sit on the sidelines and to remind us that we have so many untold stories just waiting to be uncovered.
Glory, Netflix
This one’s a classic throwback for a reason. An untouchable team-up of talent like Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, and Matthew Broderick brings the true story of the sheer grit of an all-Black fighting regiment in the American Civil War to life in a way that will leave you in tears. In fact, the top-tier performances resonated so strongly with critics that a young Denzel Washington won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1990.
A Soldier’s Story, Pluto TV
Safe to say that a generational talent like Denzel Washington pretty much set the standard for giving powerful performances in military movies. The actor donned a military fit a couple of years before his Oscar win for Glory to give a layered, leading man-worthy performance as an officer investigating the murder of a Black sergeant in a platoon of Louisiana soldiers in World War II.
A Different World, “War and Peace,” Netflix
📺NBC Primetime, January 10, 1991:
— On ‘A Different World,’ Dwayne’s friend, played by Blair Underwood, is preparing to head to the Persian Gulf with his reserve unit pic.twitter.com/lgEaq00qfs— RetroNewsNow (@RetroNewsNow) January 11, 2023
Stories of war hit different when it feels personal, and this season 4 episode was a reality check. Blair Underwood starred as Zelmer Collier, an Army reservist and friend of Dwayne Wayne. The Hillman University friend group has to cope with the uncertainty of their friend taking off with his reserve unit to the Persian Gulf, and it’s just as wrenching to watch today as it was back in 1991. The standout episode is a reminder that being called up to serve touches everyone in the community. If you’re looking for an episode that captures how A Different World — which returns in a reboot this fall — mirrored its time, this is one of them.
Da 5 Bloods, Netflix
Chadwick Boseman had unmatched magnetic energy whenever he was on screen, and his unforgettable role in Spike Lee’s Vietnam War drama shows that he just couldn’t miss. The action movie, about veterans looking back on their time in the war, strikes a perfect balance of brotherhood and loss thanks to scene-stealing performances by Delroy Lindo and Isiah Whitlock Jr. The film got an A+ from plenty of critics, with the historical-based drama pulling in multiple Oscar and Critics’ Choice Awards nominations.
The Real Red Tails, Disney+
Watching The Real Red Tails now on @NatGeo ! Watch and learn.
— sheryl lee ralph (@thesherylralph) June 4, 2024
No one tells Black history better than us, and Sheryl Lee Ralph’s commanding narration proves it. This devastating deep dive into the tragic accident that took the life of young Tuskegee pilot Frank Moody is sure to do just that with its blend of science, real footage, and stories told straight from Moody’s fellow airmen. You’ll experience all the emotions as they set out to finally lay this longstanding mystery to rest.