15 best slave movies of all time: Explore the most famous slavery movies
Slavery has been a hot topic in African history for many years, leading to the production of some of the famous slavery movies. One of the sad slavery stories is the Atlantic Slave Trade. This reshaped African communities, causing immense human suffering and economic crisis. Discover the best slave movies to understand Africans' true history.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Best slave movies
- 1. The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (2013)
- 2. Gladiator (2000)
- 3. Django Unchained (2012)
- 4. Braveheart (1995)
- 5.12 Years a Slave (2013)
- 6. The Help (2011)
- 7. The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 8. Roots (2016)
- 9. Glory (1989)
- 10. The Amazing Grace (2006)
- 11. Amistad (1997)
- 12. The Long Walk Home (1990)
- 13. Free State of Jones (2016)
- 14. Harriet (2019)
- 15. Beloved (1998)
- What is the recent slave movie?
- What is the name of the famous slave movie?
The following list of the best slave movies has been drawn from credible sources like IMDb. We have carefully curated this selection to provide an insightful and engaging viewing experience. The list might not be exhaustive, but it is arranged based on user ratings, awards won, and popularity.
Best slave movies
Movies about slavery, segregation, and civil rights always attract some group of viewers. They appeal to people who care deeply about these subjects or are curious to learn more. Here is a look at some of the best slave movies of all time.
| Movies | IMDb ratings |
| The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross | 8.7/10 |
| Gladiator | 8.5/10 |
| Django Unchained | 8.5/10 |
| Braveheart | 8.3/10 |
| 12 Years a Slave | 8.1/10 |
| The Help | 8.1/10 |
| The Ten Commandments | 7.9/10 |
| Roots | 7.9/10 |
| Glory | 7.8/10 |
| The Amazing Grace | 7.4/10 |
| Amistad | 7.3/10 |
| The Long Walk Home | 7.3/10 |
| Free State of Jones | 6.9/10 |
| Harriet | 6.7/10 |
| Beloved | 6.0/10 |
1. The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (2013)
- IMDb rating: 8.7/10
- Runtime: 6hrs
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross is a six-part documentary series that debuted on PBS in 2013. Scholar and historian Henry Louis Gates Jr presented it.
The series delves into the rich history of African Americans, from the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in the 16th century to the historic election of Barack Obama as the nation's first African American United States president.
2. Gladiator (2000)
- IMDb rating: 8.5/10
- Runtime: 2h 35m
Gladiator's storyline emanates from real-life events in the Roman Empire during the late 2nd century AD. Gladiators were mostly slaves who went through tough training.
They were provided with high-energy diets and were required to sustain high energy levels all the time. The film is regarded as one of the best Netflix movies with a slavery theme. Its cast members include Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, and Oliver Reed.
3. Django Unchained (2012)
- IMDb rating: 8.5/10
- Runtime: 2h 45m
Django Unchained is among the most famous slavery movies on Netflix. It explores the life of Django, a slave, who finds himself accompanying a German bounty hunter called Dr. King Schultz.
Schultz buys Django because he needs him to find some men he is looking for. He finds the men, and later, Schultz agrees to help Django find his wife, Broomhilda, whom his former owner sold.
4. Braveheart (1995)
- IMDb rating: 8.3/10
- Runtime: 2h 58m
The movie takes inspiration from the life of William Wallace, a Scottish leader from the 13th century. Wallace is on a mission to wage war against King Edward I of England, who tragically murdered William's bride shortly after their wedding.
5.12 Years a Slave (2013)
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
- Runtime: 2h 14m
12 Years a Slave is among the most famous slave movies ever. The movie won Best Motion Picture of the Year (Oscar), Best Adapted Screenplay by John Ridley, and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong'o. This is one of the slave movies on Hulu and Netflix that is worth watching.
6. The Help (2011)
- IMDb rating: 8.1/10
- Runtime: 2h 26m
The Help takes place in 1960s Mississippi and centres around Skeeter, a determined young woman who returns home from school with aspirations of becoming a writer. She embarks on a journey to interview black women who work as caretakers for wealthy Southern families. Shocking truths emerge as their stories unfold, disrupting the entire town.
7. The Ten Commandments (1956)
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
- Runtime: 3h 40min
When you talk of The Ten Commandments, all that comes to mind is the commandments given to Moses by God in the Bible. This is one of the best slavery movies centred on the Bible story. Living comfortably in the Egyptian pharaoh's palace, Moses (played by Charlton Heston) learns about his Hebrew background and realises the responsibilities God has placed on him.
8. Roots (2016)
- IMDb rating: 7.9/10
- Runtime: 6h 28m
Roots is a four-part film based on Alex Haley's book series from 1976, which premiered in 1977. The story follows a young man called Haley who claims to trace his family history back to Kunta Kinte, an African captured and sold into slavery in 1767. In the movie, Kunta Kinte's descendants pass down his story and the African words he taught them.
9. Glory (1989)
- IMDb rating: 7.8/10
- Runtime: 2h 2m
Glory is an electrifying 1989 war drama directed by Edward Zwick, featuring an ensemble cast including Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman. It's based on the remarkable true story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, a groundbreaking all-black regiment in the American Civil War.
At its heart, the movie follows Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, portrayed by Matthew Broderick, as he leads the 54th regiment into battle
10. The Amazing Grace (2006)
- IMDb rating: 7.4/10
- Runtime: 1h 58m
What is the movie about slaves taken from Africa? Amazing Grace is an interesting British-Nigerian historical drama film written by Jeta Amata and Nick Moran. It follows the story of British slave trader John Newton, sailing to Nigeria to buy slaves. On reaching Nigeria, he is shocked by the brutality of slavery. He gives up the trade and becomes an Anglican priest.
11. Amistad (1997)
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
- Runtime: 2h 35min
Amistad is a historical drama movie directed by Steven Spielberg. It revolves around a rebellion on a slave ship called La Amistad in 1839. The ship is carrying black slaves off the coast of the Spanish colony of Cuba.
The most notorious event of the movie happens when one of the slaves named Cinqué leads a revolt against the ship's crew, most of whom are killed. Cinque later assumes control of the ship.
12. The Long Walk Home (1990)
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
- Runtime: 1h 37m
The film revolves around Odessa Cotter, an African-American woman who works as a maid. Odessa and her family confront typical issues faced by African Americans, such as poverty, violence, racism, and segregation.
The black community begins a widespread boycott of the city-owned buses to end segregation. Despite being treated kindly by her boss, Miriam Thompson, she walks to work like her fellow African Americans.
13. Free State of Jones (2016)
- IMDb rating: 6.9/10
- Runtime: 2h 19min
The film explores the life of Newt Knight, a poor farmer from Jones County serving as a battlefield medic in the Confederate Army. His nephew Daniel is forced into military service, only to be shot dead. Knight returns home to his wife, Serena, after seeing Daniel killed.
14. Harriet (2019)
- IMDb rating: 6.7/10
- Runtime: 2h 5m
Harriet is among the captivating historical slave movies. The popular film tells the story of Tubman's escape from slavery. His newly married wife, Minty, is a slave on the Brodess plantation, along with her mother and sister.
15. Beloved (1998)
- IMDb rating: 6.0/10
- Runtime: 2h 52m
Beloved is one of the best movies about slavery on Netflix. It is a 1998 movie directed by Jonathan Demme. The film stars famous actors like Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, and Thandie Newton.
The film's plot revolves around Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman in Ohio. Her memories of slavery torment her. Sethe is haunted by the ghost of her deceased elder daughter, whom she killed to protect from enslavement, who reappears as beloved.
What is the recent slave movie?
The most recent slave movie is Emancipation, released in 2022 and directed by Antoine Fuqua. It features famous actors like Will Smith, Charmaine Bingwa, and Steven Ogg.
What is the name of the famous slave movie?
There are several famous slave movies, including The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (2013) and Django Unchained (2012). The two movies have an IMDb rating of 8.5/10.
The above best slave movies document many Africans' true history and the great milestones they have made. Even though some are hard to watch, they are interesting and should be watched by any history enthusiast worldwide.
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