February is Black History Month, a time to remember and honor the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. We should always strive to amplify Black voices, especially during this month. To celebrate Black History Month this February, here are 8 shows that you should be watching right now.
1.) Abbott Elementary
Quinta Brunson created and stars in this mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary, named after her real life sixth-grade teacher, Ms. Abbott. The series follows a group of dedicated and passionate teachers in a Philadelphia public school determined to make a difference. While dealing with an unhelpful, tone-deaf principal and underfunded system, the teachers fight to give the kids the best education. Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, and Sheryl Lee Ralph also star.
Catch Abbott Elementary on Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC or the next day on Hulu and ABC.com
2.) Blackish & Grown-ish
Black-ish tells the story of an upper-class African-American family, the Johnsons, and their daily lives dealing with personal and sociopolitical issues. The cast includes Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, and Marsai Martin. Throughout the seasons, the show has been nominated for numerous Primetime Emmy Awards. The final season premiered on January 4th, 2022.
Grownish is a spin-off of Black-ish and follows eldest daughter Zoey Johnson (Yara Shahidi) as she heads off to college. The show addresses the difficulties of college and the intersection of drug addiction, sex, police brutality, mental health, and much more. Trevor Jackson, Francia Raisa, Emily Arlook, Jordan Buhat, Halle and Chloe Bailey, and Luka Sabbat also star. The second half of the fourth season premiered on January 27th, 2022.
Watch the final season of Blackish on Tuesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC or next day on Hulu and ABC.com. Watch Grownish on Freeform on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET or next day on Hulu.
3.) Queens
Eve, Brandy, Naturi Naughton, and Nadine Velazquez star as a hip-hop group in the musical drama Queens. The show follows the group, once superstars in the hip-hop world, now in their forties and estranged from each other. When the group’s most famous song comes back into pop culture, they decide to reunite. Amidst their reunion, the women must face heartbreak, betrayal, and danger.
Catch the new season of Queens with a date TBD on ABC or watch season 1 on Hulu and ABC.com
4.) Black People Like…
Black People Like is a Freeform original digital series that challenges stereotypes about Black culture while also celebrating all of the different interests within the community. The episodes are only about 4 minutes long and include a roundtable of different perspectives.
Watch Black People Like on Freeform.com or Youtube
5.) Atlanta
Triple threat Donald Glover stars in comedy-drama series Atlanta. In the series, Donald plays college dropout and music manager Earnest “Earn” Marks, who works with his friend, rapper Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), as they navigate the rap scene in Atlanta. The series has won Golden Globes and Emmy Awards throughout its run. LaKeith Stanfield and Zazie Beetz also star.
Watch the season 3 premiere of Atlanta on March 24 on FX at 10 p.m. ET or watch seasons 1 and 2 on Hulu.
6.) Keeping Up With The Joneses
Keeping up with the Joneses is a 3-part mini-series that aired on Lifetime. When the head of the household, Theodore Jones, dies, his second wife takes over the wealthy family’s business with the help of her 4 stepdaughters. The cast includes Vivica A. Fox, Ted McGinley, Kandi Burruss, Ari Thompson, Ciarra Carter, and Jasmine Aivaliotis.
Watch Keeping up with the Joneses on Amazon Prime Video.
7.) Insecure
Issa Rae created and starred in the comedy-drama series Insecure. Based on her web series Awkward Black Girl, the show follows Issa Dee and her best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji) as they go through life experiences and grapple with their insecurities and awkwardness. The series is a modern lens into the world of 2 Black women as they face social and racial issues. The last season of Insecure ended on December 26, 2021.
Watch all seasons of Insecure on HBO Max.
8.) Pose
Initially airing on FX, Pose is a television series about New York City’s African American and Latino LGBTQ scene and the rise of gender non-conforming drag ball culture in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The show tells the story of a group of people who compete for trophies and respect in underground ball culture as they support one another within their chosen families. Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter, Indya Moore, Ryan Jamaal Swain, and Angelica Ross star. The show has earned praise, with Mj Rodriguez being the first transgender actor to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series at this year’s Golden Globes. The series ended on June 6, 2021.
Watch all seasons of Pose on Netflix.
Make sure to keep these 8 shows on your radar as we continue to celebrate Black History Month.
