20 Movies and Books for Exploring Justice, Race, and Faith

by Sue Stratton

Gary and I have had numerous requests for movies and books to help people think through justice, race, and faith. This introductory list might be a good place to start.*

MOVIES

To begin exploring the history of justice, race, and faith in America

12 Years a Slave. (2013). S. McQueen. [Drama, History]. Regency Enterprises,  River Road Entertainment,  Plan B Entertainment. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024544/

Harriet (2019) Lemmons, K. [Action, Biography, Drama, History]. Martin Chase Productions,  New Balloon,  Perfect World Pictures. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4648786/

Glory (1990). Zwick, E. [Biography, Drama, History, War]. TriStar Pictures,  Freddie Fields Productions. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/ [An early if flawed look at faith in troubling era.]

42: The Jackie Robinson Story. (2013). Helgeland, B. [Biography, Drama, Sport]. Warner Bros.,  Legendary Entertainment. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0453562/ [A little too much ‘white savior,’ but an important story. Sue and I were in a theatre in Burbank where the movie received a standing ovation. Something we have never seen before or since in a non-screening showing.]

Selma. (2015). A. DuVernay. [Biography, Drama, History]. Pathé,  Harpo Films,  Plan B Entertainment. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1020072/

To begin exploring contemporary repercussions of justice, race, and faith

The Hate U Give. (2018). G. Tillman, Jr. [Crime, Drama]. Fox 2000 Pictures,  State Street Pictures,  Temple Hill Entertainment. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5580266/ (Also a great book: Thomas, A. (2017). The hate u give. Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.) [A good place to start with your teenage children.]

Just Mercy. (2020). D.D. Cretton. [Biography, Crime, Drama]. Warner Bros. Pictures,  Endeavor Content,  One Community. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4916630/ (Also a great book: Stevenson, B. (2015). Just mercy: A story of justice and redemption. Spiegel & Grau.

Crash. (2005). Haggis, P. [Crime, Drama, Thriller]. Bob Yari Productions,  DEJ Productions,  Blackfriars Bridge Films. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/ [Not as nuanced as one would hope, but a good place to begin exploring many crucial themes.]

Get Out. (2017). J. Peele. [Horror, Mystery, Thriller]. Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052448/

13^th. (2016). DuVernay, A. [Documentary, Crime, News]. Forward Movement,  Kandoo Films,  Netflix. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5895028/

#11 BONUS: To start a conversation with your children about justice, race, and faith

Zootopia. (2016). Howard, B., Moore, R., & Bush, J. [Animation]. Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948356/ [A great place to start with your kids.]

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BOOKS

To start your exploration of justice, race and faith

Emerson, Michael O., and Christian Smith. Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Cleveland, Christena. Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces That Keep Us Apart. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, 2013.

McNeil, Brenda Salter. Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness, and Justice. Second edition. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP, 2020.

Irving, Debby. Waking up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race. 1st edition. Cambridge, MA: Elephant Room Press, 2014.

King, Martin Luther. Letter from the Birmingham Jail. New York: Harpercollins, 1994.

To dig deeper into justice, race, and faith in America

Tisby, Jemar, and Lecrae. The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2019.

Hart, Drew G. I. Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism. Harrisonburg: Herald Press, 2016.

Rah, Soong-Chan. The Next Evangelicalism: Releasing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Books, 2009.

Kendi, Ibram X. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, 2017.

Cone, James H. The Cross and the Lynching Tree. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2011.

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*Please contact us if you’d like a more challenging list.