These slavery documentaries
Unless noted, the movie is unrated or not rated. Please view before you watch with your children and/or watch with your children.
What are slavery documentaries?
A documentary film is a nonfictional motion picture intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a historical record.
These slavery documentaries show stories of the system in which principles of property law were applied to people, allowing individuals to own, buy and sell other individuals, as a form of property.
Slavery existed in the United States of America in the 18th and 19th centuries after it gained independence and before the end of the American Civil War.
Digging for Slaves
“Explores excavations of 18th-century slave quarters on Middleburg Plantation near Charleston; at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, whose slave holdings seem so irreconcilable with his expressed views on human freedom; and at Colonial Williamsburg, which until recently suppressed information about the lives of the slaves, who made up over half the town's population.” | Stream on BBC
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Danny Cox, Jared Goede, Eric Goodman (Actors)
Freedom Seekers: Stories from the Western Underground Railroad
“Brings an understanding of the regional issues relating to antebellum slavery and the antislavery movement that helped shape the western Underground Railroad.
Slaves, with the help of stationmasters and conductors, had to dodge professional slave catchers, federal marshals, and slaveholders on a grueling thousand-mile journey to freedom.
The viewer will learn how the Kansas/Missouri political conditions created the opportunity for the perhaps less known escape route along the western frontier.
This film uses primary source documents, historians, interviews with slave descendants, moving readings, and dramatic depictions to tell exciting stories of Underground Railroad activities.”
- Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)
Found Voices: The Slave Narratives
“Program tells of sound recordings made of interviews with former slaves in the 1930s and 1940s. Tapes have been digitally remastered and video includes transcripts as subtitles. Slaves interviewed include Fountain Hughes (VA), Laura Smalley (TX), Harriet Smith (TX).”
Ghosts of Amistad: In the Footsteps of the Rebels
“This documentary chronicles the journey of author Marcus Rediker as he retraces the path of the brave Africans who rebelled against their captors and seized the slave schooner Amistad in 1839, leading to a watershed US Supreme Court decision that sparked Abolitionist action leading to the Civil War.
Based on Rediker's ground-breaking book The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom, the film travels to present-day Sierra Leone to visit the home villages of Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinqué) and the other captives who were held on the Amistad, interviewing elders about local memory of the case and searching for the long-lost ruins of Lombok, the slave trading factory where their cruel transatlantic voyage began.
The film uses the knowledge of villagers, fishermen, and truck drivers to recover the lost history of the Amistad told from a seldom-voiced perspective in the historical struggle against slavery.”
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Morgan Freeman (Actor)
Slavery and the Making of America
(TV-PG)
“This program examines the history of slavery in the United States and the role it played in shaping the new country's development.”
Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North
“Filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. She and nine cousins retrace the Triangle Trade and gain a powerful new perspective on the black/white divide.” — Container. Buy this movie
If you enjoyed this list of movies, I have a monthly membership for parents and educators that want to teach or supplement lessons with shows and movies.
“I absolutely love sharing movies with my kids as a way to teach them valuable lessons. It's like this awesome bonding experience where we all snuggle up on the couch with some popcorn, and I get to see their little faces light up with curiosity. Whether it's a classic with timeless morals or a new animated flick with hidden gems of wisdom, it's a fantastic way to impart important life lessons in a fun and engaging way. Plus, the post-movie discussions are priceless – hearing their take on the characters and the story adds a whole new dimension to our family time.” –a Homeschooling parent
With Homeschooling with Shows and Movies membership, you will get resources every month, including:
- List of This Month’s Suggested Themes
- List of Monthly Observances
- List Of Movies for Unit Study
- Unit Study Resource
- Seasonal Activities (minimum of three)
- (BONUSES) Resources for you, the teacher
These resources are worth it if you'd like to easily incorporate shows and movies into your homeschooling.
After watching these slavery documentaries…
Have you seen any of these slavery documentaries?
Related Posts:
- 7 Slavery Movies on Netflix for Black History Month
- 10 Must Watch Slavery Movies
- 15 Slavery Movies on Amazon Prime
- 18 Upcoming YA Books Turned Movies - April 1, 2024
- 30 Best Rom Coms From the 80s & 90s - March 29, 2024
- The Best Shows to Watch for a US States Unit Study - March 26, 2024
15 Slavery Movies on Amazon Prime - Best Movies Right Now
Sunday 14th of March 2021
[…] RELATED: 5 Kid Approved Slavery Documentaries […]
5 Great Religious Themed Easter Movies - Best Movies Right Now
Friday 20th of March 2020
[…] RELATED: 5 Kid Approved Slavery Documentaries […]
9 Slavery Movies on Netflix for Black History Month - Best Movies Right Now
Wednesday 16th of October 2019
[…] 5 Slavery Documentaries for Kids […]
10 Must Watch Slavery Movies - Best Movies Right Now
Saturday 16th of February 2019
[…] out these Slavery Documentaries, […]