50 Black Movie Directors Who Influenced The Black Entertainment Industry And The World As A Whole

These black entertainment directors really influenced the movie culture.

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• July 23, 2022

We need to talk about the many black directors who have impacted the culture as soon as possible. If I asked you right now how many black directors you could mention offhand, you’d probably say Spike Lee and Tyler Perry and think you’d absolutely killed it.

Yes, they made significant contributions to culture! But there are plenty more who you probably had no idea directed your favorite films or helped set the foundation before them.

For decades, black directors have defied convention to create top-quality cinematic classics that have elevated black culture to new heights. They are deserving of flowers.

The movies that initiated the film industry around the turn of the 20th century were made by white directors for white audiences. However, It took many years for black directors to break into the company and change how Hollywood worked behind and in front of the screen, as well as how it perceived black content.

Oscar Micheaux spearheaded the charge, establishing his own production company in 1919. Then in the 1970s, directors such as Melvin van Peebles and Gordon Parks put Black stories at the frontline of their narrative, spawning a sub-genre known as “Blaxploitation,” which used Black stereotypes about poverty and substance abuse to focus the action on Black actors.

Continue reading for more black entertainment directors who influenced the culture. It’s a long list of black directors.

1. Janet Mock is an activist and writer

2. Peter Ramsey is a director with skills

3. Regina King

4. Eddie Murphy

5. Melina Matsoukas

6. One of the most successful comedians in the world, Chris Rock

7. The British filmmaker, Amma Asante

8. Justin Simien

9. Lee Daniels is a writer, producer, and director

10. Hype Williams is a permanent fixture in the hip-hop world

11. Victoria Mahoney

12. Denzel Washington

23. Forest Whitaker who is also an actor known for roles that call for a reserved intellectual

14. Dee Rees who makes films that specifically explore the identity of Black women

15. Ossie Davis is a household name in Black cinema

16. Tyler Perry, who plays the titular character Madea in most of his films

17. Carl Franklin who had a late start as a director

Bill Duke

19. Allen Hughes

20. Albert Hughes

21. Tim Story

22. Reginald Hudlin

23. The Emmy Award-winning director, Paris Barclay

24. The British filmmaker, Sir Steve McQueen

25. Sidney Poitier

26. Malcolm D. Lee

27? Jordan Peele

28. Ryan Coogler

29. The first Black woman nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award, Ava DuVernay

30. Barry Jenkins

31. Kasi Lemmons

32. Oshea Jackson, known as Ice Cube

33. Mario Van Peebles

34. Antoine Fuqua

35. The filmmaker and gay rights activist, Marlon Riggs

36. One of the many great Black filmmakers, Julie Dash

37. Gina Prince-Bythewood

38. The accomplished cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson

39. F. Gary Gray

40. Charles Burnett

41. Keenen Ivory Wayans

42. Gordon Parks Jr.

44. Kathleen Collins

43. Robert Townsend

45. The Los Angeles native director, John Singleton

46. The documentary filmmaker, Williams Greaves

47. Melvin Van Peebles

48. One of the first prominent Black filmmakers in cinematic history, Oscar Micheaux

49. One of the most prolific American directors, Spike Lee

50. The revered United States documentary photojournalist, Gordon Parks

Every one of these directors helped remove barriers and influenced a new breed of black directors, including Ava DuVernay, Tyler Perry, and Barry Jenkins, who have received critical acclaim as well as commercial success at the global box office. While black directors are more visible and commemorated in Hollywood in the 21st century, there is still much progress to be made.

Maryjane