While many notable Black people were nominated for Oscars recently, it’s sometimes cool to remember and look back at the actors, actresses, and filmmakers who laid the groundwork so these talented stars can get the recognition they deserve.
In the 1970s, when Black entertainers noticed they weren’t starring in movies as much as they should, they took it upon themselves and created the Blaxploitation movie genre. While many were made, here are the most impactful Blaxploitation films in history.
Suggested Reading
Black Caesar
Fred Williamson, who stars in several Blaxploitation films, plays Tommy Gibbs, a young kid in Harlem who has dreams of becoming the next big kingpin.
Blackenstein
Are you into horror? If you are, you should check out the 1973 film where a crazy scientist creates a… well you can guess. A Black Frankenstein.
Blacula
Blaxploitation films aren’t all about drugs and gangs. In the case of Blacula, it’s a straight horror film. An African prince gets turned into a vampire by the actual Count Dracula in 1780 and then wakes up 200 hundred years later in 1972.
Car Wash
Who doesn’t know the theme song of this classic film? It’s awesome. Unlike other movies on this list, this has less action or more laughs, thanks to the inclusion of some of the best comedians of the time including Franklyn Ajaye, and Richard Pryor.
Cleopatra Jones
Tamara Dobson is a badass in this 1973 film. She stars as a government agent who goes undercover as a model to stop an evil drug lord in Turkey.
Coffy
Pam Grier is a Blaxploitation legend, starring in some of the most popular films of the 1970s. One of them is Coffy, a movie where she stars as a vigilante who is set on revenge after her younger sister becomes addicted to cocaine
Cooley High
I gotta give props to my pops on this one. Growing up in Chicago during the 1970s, this film especially resonated with him and made him reminisce about being a young teenager growing up in Chi-Town. This coming-of-age movie was a fun movie with a tragic ending.
Cotton Comes to Harlem
This neo-noir action comedy is filled with thrilling moments, exciting action, and hilarious comedy. Directed by the legendary Ossie Davis, this 1970 film is definitely worth a watch.
Dolemite
Is there a better name than Dolemite? Probably not. Comedian Rudy Ray Moore stars as a pimp and nightclub owner who is wrongfully convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. After he’s released, he looks to discover the ones responsible for framing him.
Foxy Brown
Pam Grier was great in Coffy, but Foxy Brown where she made her name. Similarly, she’s a woman set on revenge after her boyfriend is killed in front of her home.
Shaft
Probably the most well-known film on this list, Richard Roundtree plays a badass private detective who finds himself in a full-on war against the local mob. To no surprise, he comes out on top and is cool as hell doing it.
Super Fly
I don’t acknowledge the 2018 remake. This is the only Super Fly film in my eyes. Ron O’neal plays Youngblood Priest, a New York City drug kingpin who has plans of going legitimate. But to no surprise, it doesn’t exactly go as smoothly as he planned.
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
Considered to be the first Blaxploitation film ever, Melvin Van Peebles directs and stars in this movie about a male prostitute who battles against racist LAPD officers who attempt to arrest him for a murder he didn’t commit.
The Mack
Max Julien stars as a convict who has plans of becoming the next big pimp in Oakland after serving a five-year sentence in prison.
Three the Hard Way
Has there ever been a cooler trio of Black men? I can’t name one. Fred Williamson, Jim Kelly, and Jim Brown come together to fight a racist organization that plans to kill Black people in Detroit, Los Angeles, and D.C. by poisoning them through the water supply. To no surprise, these cool-headed brothers stop their ploy.
Trouble Man
Don’t get me wrong, Trouble Man is a great film. But this is one of the few cases where the soundtrack, sung by Marvin Gaye, is much better than the movie.
Truck Turner
It’s Isaac Hayes starring as a former football player who becomes a bounty hunter after he gets injured. Those are all the things I didn’t know I wanted in a movie until I saw it.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.