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March is Women's History Month and we will soon be celebrating Black Women's History Month, so it's really a perfect time to kick back and unwind to some of your favorite Black women-led shows and movies.
While we watch and relive some of the greatest on-screen moments, it's also important to reflect on the genius of the Black women creators who brought them to us. For generations, Black women worked to shatter barriers in Hollywood so we could see ourselves in living color and beyond.
These iconic pieces of entertainment have filled our cultural storehouses with on-screen representation for decades. From the fashion, hair, and makeup trends, brilliant line delivery, stunts, relatable set designs, and everything else in between, Black women have been involved in reflecting our beauty and complexities in front of and behind the cameras.
Here are 10 of our favorite Black women-led TV shows and films (listed in no particular order) to celebrate Black women, our history, and infinite immeasurable talent.
Living Single
Release Year: 1993
How to watch: Hulu
Follow a group of friends sharing a Brooklyn brownstone as they navigate "a 90s kind of world" that includes dating woes and wins, career moves, and so much more.
Girlfriends
Release Year: 2000
How to watch: Netflix
Which Girlfriend are you most like? Joan Clayton, the ambitious and awkward lawyer; Lynn the free spirit who always seems to land on her feet; Maya, the (sometimes) married mother and author; or Toni, the glamorous real estate agent with a soft spot?
Insecure
Release Year: 2016
How to watch: HBO Max
Whether you're Team Issa or in the Lawrence Hive, Insecure really sparks conversations and questions about contemporary relationships, internal conflicts, and so much more.
A Different World
Release Year: 1987
How to watch: HBO Max
The leading ladies of this classic sitcom brought a fictional HBCU experience into the TVs of real-life audience, with the hilarious assistance from the guys, of course.
Moesha
Release Year: 1996
How to watch: Netflix
R&B star Brandy showed off her acting chops bringing fans into Moesha's world where she was processing grief, handling school work and getting into classic 90s-era teenager shenanigans. Another Black women-led show, The Parkers, spawned from this series, too.
Waiting to Exhale
Release Year: 1995
How to watch: HBO Max
This classic film explores the power of self and friendship through it all and its iconic soundtrack is enough to get you in every feeling possible.
Set It Off
Release Year: 1996
How to watch: Tubi
The woes of life brings a group of four friends to make the decision to execute bank heists in LA. The film covers real-life tragedies, the ups and downs and unbreakable bond of friendships.
Soul Food
Release Year: 1997
How to watch: HBO Max
Family drama is something most of us can relate to. In this cult classic, the drama unfolds from the lens of young Ahmad, who watches the dynamics between his aunts unfold in the wake of the family's matriarch's passing.
Poetic Justice
Release Year: 1993
How to watch: Amazon Prime Video
When you're going through it and need a ride for a convention, a good friend comes through with a plan. And that's just what Iesha, played by the incomparable Regina King, for her bestie Justice, played by the queen that is Janet Jackson.
The Women of Brewster Place
Release Year: 1989
How to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Adapted from the late Gloria Naylor's debut novel, this mini TV series captures the bustling lives of seven women living in the Brewster Place community where the struggles and hopes of Black women are explored.
Honorable Mentions
We didn't forget these classics either!
- Daughters of the Dust (1991)
- The Color Purple (1985)
- Half & Half (2002)
- The Game (2006)
- Sister Sister (1994)
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