In recent historical features about the Black experience in America — like "12 Years A Slave," "Hidden Figures" and even biopics like "Ray" and "Ali" — racism and oppression are through-lines in the narratives; anti-Blackness becomes a character all its own.
The perils of white supremacy make their way into every plot even though the Black experience is at the core of these films, seeping (as it can in reality) into the characters' everyday lives. While these films are historically accurate, modern-day Black filmgoers then often lament the prevalence of "slave films" and the inherent tragedies at the center of these stories, asking to see more Black joy and less Black sadness.
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