10 Shows & Movies Like The Underground Railroad

Description: A groundbreaking miniseries that explores the brutal realities of slavery through multiple generations of an African American family, emphasizing resilience and the fight for freedom.

Fact: Roots was one of the most-watched television events in U.S. history, sparking national conversations about race and history. It won nine Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.

Description: A powerful story of Black women's resilience in the face of oppression, abuse, and systemic racism, set in the early 20th century American South.

Fact: Steven Spielberg's first dramatic film, it received 11 Academy Award nominations but won none, sparking controversy. The novel by Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize.

Description: A Civil War drama about one of the first all-Black regiments in the Union Army, exploring themes of sacrifice, dignity, and the fight for recognition in a racist society.

Fact: The film features the first combat role for Denzel Washington, who won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The 54th Massachusetts' assault on Fort Wagner was a real historical event.

Description: Based on the true 1839 rebellion aboard a slave ship and the subsequent legal battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, highlighting the complexities of justice within a slave-holding society.

Fact: The case influenced the abolitionist movement and was argued by former President John Quincy Adams. Spielberg shot the infamous Middle Passage sequence in one continuous take.

Description: A haunting adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel, blending historical trauma with supernatural elements to explore the lingering scars of slavery on individuals and families.

Fact: Oprah Winfrey, who starred in and produced the film, reportedly spent a decade trying to bring the novel to the screen. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in

Description: A miniseries following an African woman's journey from enslavement to freedom, showcasing the little-known history of Black Loyalists who fled to Nova Scotia after the American Revolution.

Fact: Based on Lawrence Hill's award-winning novel, which was retitled 'Someone Knows My Name' in the U.S. due to controversy over the original title. The actual Book of Negroes is a real historical document.

Description: A stylized, violent revenge fantasy set in the antebellum South, blending historical brutality with Quentin Tarantino's signature genre-bending approach.

Fact: The film features the most uses of the N-word in any major Hollywood production (110 times). It won two Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay.

Description: A harrowing depiction of slavery based on a true story, focusing on the psychological and physical torment endured by a free Black man who was kidnapped and sold into bondage.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, making it the first Best Picture winner directed by a Black filmmaker. It was based on Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir.

Description: A controversial retelling of Nat Turner's 1831 slave rebellion, focusing on the moral justification of violent resistance against oppression.

Fact: The film's record-breaking $

Description: A biographical film about Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and her work with the Underground Railroad, highlighting courage and liberation against impossible odds.

Fact: Cynthia Erivo became the first Black woman to win a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony after her Golden Globe-nominated performance. The film was released on the 400th anniversary of American slavery.