Amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, studios and streaming services have begun making films that address racism and the experiences of black Americans free to watch online.
Last week, Warner Bros. made the 2019 movie “Just Mercy” about the real-life experience of civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson available for free. The studio encouraged viewers to watch the film to learn more about “systemic racism” in the United States.
Other studios and services have followed suit, making a variety of films and documentaries available for free for a limited time.
Here are some of the movies that are free to stream right now.
“Selma”
This Oscar-nominated film (directed by Ava DuVernay) tells the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s campaign to secure equal voting rights by marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
- How to watch: Paramount has made “Selma” available for free on all digital platforms, including iTunes and Amazon, through the end of June.
“13th”
Also from Ava DuVernay, this documentary explores the United States prison system and how it is tied to the nation’s history of racial inequality.
Note: “13th” is rated TV-MA on Netflix for “intense violence” and “cursing,” according to Common Sense Media.
- How to watch: Netflix has made “13th” available to watch for free on YouTube.
“John Lewis: Get in the Way”
A documentary about the life of Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, who was a leader during the Civil Rights movement and is still a congressional leader today.
- How to watch: Available to stream for free on PBS.
“I Am Not Your Negro”
Based on James Baldwin’s unfinished work “Remember This House,” which was meant to be a reflection on the assassination of his friends Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., this film is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson using Baldwin’s words.
- How to watch: Available to stream for free on PBS.
“The African-Americans: Many Rivers to Cross”
This six-episode miniseries from historian and filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a full survey of African-American history. Other works from Gates, including “Reconstruction: America After the Civil War” and “Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise,” are also currently free to watch.
- How to watch: Available to stream for free on PBS.
“The Secret Life of Bees”
Based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd, the movie tells the story of a girl who runs away from home to live with a group of women in South Carolina in 1964.
- How to watch: Available to rent for free on Fandango Now.
“Daughters of the Dust”
This 1991 film was the first feature film to be directed by an African-American woman, Julie Dash, and follows the story of three generations of Gullah women in South Carolina.
- How to watch: The Criterion Collection has made a number of films that focus on black lives, including “Daughters of the Dust,” available for free on their streaming platform, the Criterion Channel (no subscription necessary).