Before They Were Stars: Black Actors and Actresses Who Got Their Starts in Horror Movies
Most actors and actresses have to pay their dues before they become famous, and one genre well versed in due-paying is horror. Popular with producers out to make a quick buck yet reviled by critics, horror movies are both high in number and low in esteem, making them perfect entry-level fare for aspiring thespians. In fact, some of the...
Black Horror 101: A Brief History of African Americans in Horror Cinema
Black Is Boo-Tiful
When Jordan Peeele’s Get Out became a breakout success in 2017, earning him the first Original Screenplay Oscar awarded to an African-American, "black horror movies" suddenly became the new hot property in Hollywood, with many people seeming to believe that this was an entirely new subset of the horror genre.
As landmark of a film as Get Out...
Black Horror Movie Hall of Fame
Historically, black people's contributions to horror cinema have been hailed about as much as Donald Trump's contributions to racial unity, but there are some noteworthy figures of color from the past and present who deserve some recognition within the genre, so I've taken it upon myself to create the Black Horror Movie Hall of Fame. Feel free to tip the...
Best Black Horror Movies of 2025
My choices for the best horror movies of 2025 featuring Black performers are a bit more top-heavy than last year's, but there’s still a remarkable number of films worth recommending. If, like me, you're of a certain age, you have to marvel at the fact that there are actually 30 Black horror movies in one year worth recommending, whereas...
22 “Heroic Deaths” by Black Characters in Horror Movies
Everyone knows that the "black guy" (or gal) usually dies in horror movies -- so much so, in some instances, the characters themselves seem to be aware of their inevitable fate. Thus, we have the phenomenon of black "heroic death," in which black characters (usually peripheral) voluntarily sacrifice themselves -- or at least, volunteer for tasks that mean certain...
Black Horror Movies Per Year: 1970-2023
How Much Have Black Horror Roles Increased?
Tracking the number of modern horror movies per year with significant* Black roles. For details on specific movies, refer to:
1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
*Admittedly, "significant" is a subjective term that varies by era.
Africa: Evil or Just Misunderstood?
Representations of Africa in Horror Movies
When Toto sang about Africa back in the day, it sounded so much more inviting than what we see coming out of Hollywood. Horror movies in particular have been guilty of perpetuating the image of “darkest Africa”, filled with ravenous animals and wild-eyed natives who wouldn’t even shake your hand before biting it off....
No Black People Were Harmed in the Making of This Film
Don't feel like seeing black blood spilled? Wanna see the black guy escape with his life (and a new respect for power tools)? Here are some films that have been rated NDN (No Dead Negroes)...
Movie
Actors Who Live
Year
Abby
Carter, Terry
1974
Cook, Nathan
1974
Cowden, Michael
1974
Kinchelow, Felice
1974
Marshall, William
1974
Moore, Juanita
1974
Ray, Joan
1974
Robinson, George
1974
Speed, Carol
1974
Stoker, Austin
1974
Alligator People, The
Dickerson, Dudley
1959
Goodwin, Ruby
1959
Townsend, Vince Jr.
1959
Amityville II
Gunn, Moses
1982
Ross, Ted
1982
Amityville 1992
Carpenter, Willie C.
1992
Amityville:...
The Black Death: A Brief History of Black People Dying in Horror Movies
"No way. I've seen this movie. The black dude dies first."
- Professor Harry Phineas Block (Orlando Jones), Evolution
"Ooh, I'm done! Brothers never make it out of situations like this!"
- Sherman "Preacher" Dudley (LL Cool J), Deep Blue Sea
"Did you know that the black guy doesn't always die first?"
- sinister email, The Mangler 2
"Everybody knows black guys get it...
40 Horror Movies About Black-White Race Relations
Horror movies tend to be thought of as hollow entertainment, but horror has a long history of addressing heavy social issues, whether directly or through symbolic or allegorical means. Perhaps the heaviest of heavy social issues is race relations -- especially in the United States -- but these horror/suspense movies dared to wade into those troubled waters by revolving...





























