Netflix is promoting a new Black Lives Matter category in an effort to highlight “powerful and complex narratives about the Black experience.”
“When you log on to Netflix today, you will see a carefully curated list of titles that only begin to tell the complex and layered stories about racial injustice and Blackness in America,” the streaming giant tweeted Wednesday.
The collection promoted by the streaming media company includes original programming such as Dear White People (the series), When They See Us, and Michelle Obama’s Becoming documentary as well as noteworthy films such as Malcolm X, Moonlight, and She’s Gotta Have It.
The collection does not feature The Help, which went to No. 1 as the streamer’s most-watched movie last week, amid global protests that broke out after George Floyd, a black man, died in police custody. The 2011 film, based on the 2009 book by Kathryn Stockett, has been criticized for its white savior narrative by people from critics to star Viola Davis.
“When we say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ we also mean ‘Black storytelling matters,’” Netflix tweeted.
Netflix isn’t alone in trying to elevate black stories at this time—films like Just Mercy and Selma are now available to rent for free this month. Music streaming services like Spotify also adjusted their playlists in response to the protests.
Content providers are also removing or making adjustments to shows and movies that feature racist stereotypes. HBO Max has temporarily removed 1939’s Gone With the Wind from its catalog, saying that when the film returns, it will feature “a discussion of its historical context.” (Similar moves have been done before—Disney+ included such disclaimers for films like Dumbo and Peter Pan when it launched, while DVD releases of Looney Tunes featured Whoopi Goldberg explaining the history of the prejudiced imagery seen in those cartoons.)
Meanwhile Netflix has taken down four Chris Lilley comedy shows from its Australia and New Zealand platforms, and Little Britain has been pulled by Netflix, the BBC, and Britbox because of blackface sketches. Additionally, as public outrage continues over police misconduct, long-running series Cops has officially been canceled by Paramount Network.
