Skip to content
Give
← All Lists
Top 10 Lists June 19, 2025

What to Watch: Movies that Capture the Meaning of Juneteenth

Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in HARRIET, a Focus Features release. Credit: Glen Wilson / Focus Features

Juneteenth is an important holiday for all Americans as it commemorates the day, June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston Texas to announce that all enslaved people were free. We’ve curated a list of movies that tell the stories of the people who fought for freedom and equality and celebrate the achievements of African Americans who made their mark in history.

 

1

HARRIET

Discernment Drama/Historical Drama · PG-13

HARRIET is the powerful and entertaining true story about a slave in the south before Civil War named “Minty” became Harriet Tubman, the woman who saved hundreds of slaves and brought them to freedom. Harriet is married to a free man, and…

Read the Full Review →
2

SELMA

Caution Drama · PG-13

SELMA is a powerful movie about the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1965 march on Montgomery, Alabama for voting rights for African Americans. The 1964 Civil Rights Act outlawed segregation in the United States. When a woman tries to register to vote…

Read the Full Review →
3

THE LIGHT OF FREEDOM

Family Drama · Not Rated

The historical, family movie THE LIGHT OF FREEDOM takes place at the start of the Civil War in 1861. Anna Handby and her family are trying to save slaves from a bounty hunter. The family is also going to extraordinary lengths to…

Read the Full Review →
4

GLORY

Caution R

With a really good 1860's look, GLORY is a biblical moral lesson about overcoming racism through reconciliation, not rebellion or revenge, set in the context of history that we all need to see. GLORY is a great film for mature, discerning Christians.

Read the Full Review →
6

BLOOD DONE SIGN MY NAME

Discernment Drama · PG-13

BLOOD DONE SIGN MY NAME is based on the true story of Ben Chavis and Vernon Tyson who tried to change a small town’s thoughts about civil rights in 1970. Tyson, a Methodist pastor, tries to help his new congregation see that…

Read the Full Review →
7

GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY

Family Drama · TV-PG

GIFTED HANDS: THE BEN CARSON STORY is one of the best made-for-television movies ever produced. It is the true story of a black child raised by a single mother who encouraged him to use his God-given gifts. He rises from being a…

Read the Full Review →

More Movieguide® Lists

All Lists →