Juneteenth on TV: ‘black-ish,’ ‘Sherman’s Showcase,’ ‘Selma’ & More to Watch
It’s Juneteenth, the day in which America recognizes the liberation of slaves — when a Union soldier rode into Galveston, Texas and declared its enslaved people free — and plenty of networks are taking note with a special lineup of programming celebrating Black stories and storytellers.
This year, Juneteenth (June 19) has garnered wider attention amid the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement.
Below, see how networks are acknowledging the day.
IFC and AMC
Sherman’s Showcase Black History Month Spectacular
10/9c on AMC and 11/10c on IFC
IFC’s sketch comedy show, recently renewed for Season 2, is putting on an extended Juneteenth special celebrating Black History. Joining co-creators Bashir Salahuddin and Daillo Riddle are guests John Legend, Questlove, Michael Ealy, Bresha Webb, and more.
Watchmen (Credit: HBO)
HBO
Watchmen
Marathon beginning at 1/12c (All 9 episodes will be available to stream for free this weekend)
HBO’s buzzy and relevant series is getting a replay as the network airs all nine installments of Damon Lindelof’s sequel to the cult favorite graphic novel. The drama stars Regina King as Angela Abar, a woman who wears many masks, both as detective Sister Night and a suburban mother. Watchmen shines a light on generational trauma.
FX and FXX
black-ish
1/12c on FXX and 6/7c on FX
Catch up on multiple episodes of ABC’s hit family sitcom starring Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross as the patriarch and matriarch of the Johnson family.
Atlanta
8/7c on FXX and 12/11c on FX
Donald Glover’s award-winning comedy will air episodes from Season 1 and 2.
Get Out
12:30/11:30c
Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning horror satire stars Daniel Kaluuya, Lil Rel Howery, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford. Warning: don’t watch alone!
Atlanta (Credit: Guy D’Alema/©FX Networks/courtesy Everett Collection)
OWN
Dark Girls
3/2c
The prejudices that dark-skinned women face around the world are explored, as is the connection between those prejudices and classism, racism and the lack of self-esteem within cultures.
Light Girls
4:30/3:30c
Similar to Dark Girls, this film explores the advantages and disadvantages of light-skinned women of color.
Oprah and Lupita Nyong’o on Colorism
6:30/5:30c
Oprah Winfrey sits down with the Oscar-winning actress to discuss her children’s book Sulwe, her rise to fame and colorism. The star also opens up about her roles in films such as Black Panther and Us.
Oprah Winfrey Presents: Legends Who Paved the Way
7:30/6:30c
In this re-broadcast, Winfrey hosts a gala to celebrate the 2014 film Selma and honor civil rights leaders as well as members of the arts and entertainment industry.
OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?
9/8c
In this new two-hour special, Winfrey speaks with Black leaders who offer insight and “tangible plans” while answering the questions, “What matters now?,” “What matters next?” and “Where do we go from here?”
Do the Right Thing (Credit: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)
BET
Do the Right Thing
6/7c
Spike Lee’s quintessential 1989 film, set on the hottest day of the year in a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York where racial tensions flare, remains a must-see.
Selma
9/8c
Ava DuVernay’s Oscar-winning film recounts a historical moment in the Civil Rights Movement as Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) joins a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in an effort to secure equal voting rights.
Selma (Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/©Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
FREEFORM
Remember the Titans
5:30/4:30c
This memorable 2000 film starring Denzel Washington follows the arrival of a newly-appointed African American high school football coach who oversees the team’s first season as a racially-integrated group.
Selma
8/7c
If you don’t watch the film on BET (see above), catch it here.
