Our initial intention was to share out films specifically about Juneteenth. We assumed this would be an easy task, but as we scoured the thousands of streaming titles the library provides access to and as we began reaching out to our colleagues at other institutions, we soon learned that this task was much harder, if not impossible. Indeed, we and our colleagues at libraries across the nation found no film in our academic streaming film collections that spoke specifically about Juneteenth.
Perhaps we should not have been surprised by this silence, as it reflects the dominant narratives that have long-shaped the real and mythological histories we tell about America, about race, and about identity.
We look forward to sharing these movies and documentaries with you when they become available.
Until then, the Library DEI Committee presents to you this curated list of films by and about the Black/African-American diaspora that celebrate Black excellence and joy, that document success, and that document difficult histories.
Select the film(s) that speaks to your moment. You may watch and reflect on your own, or you can organize some of your colleagues to select a film and gather for a post-viewing conversation using the discussion guides and additional learning resources provided for many of these films.