Black History Month honors the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Black communities and recognizes their profound contributions in shaping U.S. society. This month serves as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and resilience of Black Americans throughout history. It is also a time to reflect on the systemic injustices and inequities these communities have faced and continue to confront.
According to our most recent U.S. Opportunity Gap Report, Black workers continue to be underrepresented in both leadership and management positions relative to their proportion of the private sector labor force. Black women are 8.4% of the workforce represented in the EEO-1 data, but only 4.1% of managers and 2.0% of executives. Black men are 6.9% of the workforce, 3.9% of managers and 1.8% of executives.
Compared to white men, Black women are 7.6 times less likely to be in executive positions and 2.9 times less likely to be in managerial roles, while Black men are 7 times less likely to be executives and 2.5 times less likely to be managers. This inequitable access to higher-paying roles is a key contributor to the unadjusted pay gap for Black workers, which currently stands at 75 cents on the dollar for Black women and 80 cents on the dollar for Black men, compared to the usual weekly earnings of white men (source: BLS Usual Weekly Earnings).
As a company dedicated to creating more equitable workplaces, our team is constantly looking for opportunities to understand each others’ experiences and relate through stories. To celebrate Black History Month, we put together our top recommendations for books, documentaries, movies, and TV shows that showcase Black history, culture, and voices.
Nonfiction books
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration
by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Pregnant While Black: Advancing Justice for Maternal Health in America
by Monique Rainford
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
by Tiya Milles
Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop
by Danyel Smith
Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments
by D. Watkins
Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us
by Sherrell Dorsey
Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Hood Feminism
by Mikki Kendall
Becoming
by Michelle Obama
A Taste of Power: A Black Woman’s Story
by Elaine Brown
Novels
The Great Mrs. Elias
by Barbara Chase-Riboud
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
Don’t Cry for Me
by Daniel Black
Memphis
by Tara M. Stringfellow
Yonder
by Jabari Asim
Last Summer on State Street
by Toya Wolfe
Kindred
by Octavia Butler
The Vanishing Half
by Brit Bennett
Fences
by August Wilson
Documentaries & docuseries
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
Currently in theaters
All Up in the Biz: The Life and Rhymes of Biz Markie
Watch on: Paramount +, Amazon Prime Video
Stamped from the Beginning
Watch on: Netflix
Silver Dollar Road
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video
The League
Watch on: AppleTV, Vudu, Youtube, Google Play
Aftershock
Watch on: Hulu
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Watch on: Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Jackie Robinson
Watch on: PBS, Amazon Prime Video
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
Watch on: Netflix
The Central Park Five
Watch on: Apple TV
Soundtrack for a Revolution
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Tubi TV
The Trials of Muhammad Ali
Watch on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Movies
American Fiction
Watch on: Vudu
A Thousand and One
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV
The Color Purple (2023)
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV
Creed III
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, MGM+
The Woman King
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV
Nope
Watch on: Peacock TV, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
The Inspection
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play
BlacKkKlansman
Watch on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Hidden Figures
Watch on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Girls Trip
Watch on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Moonlight
Watch on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Queen & Slim
Watch on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Watch on: Netflix
If Beale Street Could Talk
Watch on: Hulu, YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
Get On Up
Watch on: Netflix, Apple TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video
42
Watch on: HBO Max, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video
TV series
Lawman: Bass Reeves
Watch on: Paramount+
Swarm
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Watch on: Netflix
Insecure
Watch on: HBO Max
Podcast episode
You’re Wrong About: Reconstruction (with Jamelle Bouie)
Listen on: Apple Podcasts
