Representation matters. This statement does not need to be substantiated and in a world where media is available at the click of a button—representation is more important than ever. February is Black History Month (BHM) a month that serves to celebrate and honor the social, political, economic, and legal struggles of African- Americans. While barriers have been broken down for black artists and creatives there is still a lot of work to be done. There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month but supporting those in the arts to increase representation in media is an easy step that everyone can take. Below are 5 amazing shows with Black-leads that you can binge-now.
“Dear White People” (Netflix)
Based on the 2014 film of the same name the Netflix series that started in 2017 brings to the forefront the difficult conversions about race in America. The show follows a group of black students who have to navigate the super-white world of privilege at Ivy League Winchester University. Starring, Logan Browning, Brandon P Bell, DeRon Horton, Antoinette Robertson, John Patrick Amedori, Ashley Blaine Featherson the show is funny, daring, and critical of the mythical post-racial America.
Black-ish (ABC)
The star-studded cast has made ABC’s Black-ish a favorite show since 2014. Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jenifer Lewis make up the Johnson family who are an upper-middle-class Amerian family forced to navigate Black-ness in a predominantly white world. The episodes are funny but deal with hard-hitting topics like racism, discrimination, politics, divorce, and navigating the real world as an African-American.
Claws (TNT)
Who doesn’t want a fresh set of nails? Claws takes place at the nail salon dubbed the Nail Artisan of Manatee County in Florida and brings together five of the toughest manicurists. Niecey Nash, Karreuche Tran, Judy Reyes, and Harold Perrineau make up the diverse cast of Claws that is one part soap-opera and one part crime-drama. The show is the most fun you will have watching ladies pamper themselves with manis, pedis, and waxes amidst the drama that comes with the quirky clients, local mob bosses, and bad boy love interests.
Power (Starz)
Power is a seriously addictive show with a great cast that shows the inside world of the drug game in NYC. Moving away from the street-corner drug deals, Power shows the dynamics at the top of the food chain and what it takes to be an international drug trafficker. Ghost (Omari Hardwick), Tasha (Naturi Naughton), Angela (Lela Loren), and Tommy (Joseph Sikora) and a revolving door of amazing cameos make this a show that you need to add to your binge-list.
When They See Us (Netflix)
This show is incredibly hard to watch and will make you hyper-critical of the criminal justice system. Based on the true story of The Central Park Five—five young black men wrongly convicted of a crime in 1989. The series details how the teens were racially profiled, given prejudiced counsel, and had their lives ruined by a false accusation. From the lead up to the crime to the aftermath of the horrific outcome the series is hard-hitting and makes you realize that African-Americans continue to face the same injustices today.
