Movies and TV shows like Roots

If you like "Roots" you are looking for touching, realistic and emotional movies or TV shows about / with slavery, racism, civil war, american civil war, family history, human spirit and slave trade themes of Biography, Drama and History genre shot in USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps: 1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below). 2. Look for them in the presented list.
Roots (1977)
 8.4
 19K
Roots (1977)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 588 min.
TV show
Story: African teen Kunta Kinte, brought to America to be enslaved, and the generations of his family.
Style: touching, realistic, emotional, uplifting, suspense, historical drama, thought provoking, sincere, serious, epic ...
Plot: slavery, racism, civil war, american civil war, family history, human spirit, slave trade, african american, american south, escape attempt, justice, black, interracial relations, civil rights, slave, black history, injustice, discrimination, social problems, colonialism, life is a bitch, revolution, american history, sexual abuse, american culture ...
Time: 18th century, 19th century, 1800s, 20th century, 1860s, 1820s, 70s ...
Place: africa, usa, america, tennessee, england
Keyword: americana, american

Movie in categories

Most similar movies to Roots

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out serious, realistic, captivating and emotional films and TV series with plots about black, society, african american, racism, interracial relations, slavery and black history mostly in Drama, History and Biography genres. Some movies like Roots: Alex Haley's Queen (1993), The Book of Negroes (2015), Roots: The Next Generations (1979), Amistad (1997), Free State of Jones (2016). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
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 7.9
 8K
Roots (2016)
Genre: Drama, War
Country: USA
Duration: 388 min.
TV show
Story: An adaptation of Alex Haley's "Roots", chronicling the history of an African slave sold to America and his descendants.
Style: historical drama, captivating, sincere, suspense, rough ...
Plot: slavery, plantation, slave, mentor protege relationship, black, struggle for survival, black history, african american, parent child relationship, civil war, civil rights, humiliation ...
Time: victorian era, 18th century, 19th century
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Alex Haley's Queen (1993)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 282 min.
TV show
Story: A plantation owner's son falls in love with a slave named Easter and together they have a Mixed race daughter named Queen. As Queen grows up, she faces the struggle of trying to fit into the troubled world around her. She tries passing for ...
Style: gothic, costume drama, heartbreaking, psychological, captivating ...
Plot: slavery, civil war, biracial, interracial romance, white male black female relationship, american civil war, african american, miscegenation, black, family relations, interracial, women ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, 1800s
Place: southern usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
The Book of Negroes (2015)
Genre: Drama, History, War
Country: Canada
Duration: 265 min.
TV show
Story: Kidnapped in Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata must navigate a revolution in New York, isolation in Nova Scotia and treacherous jungles of Sierra Leone, in an attempt to secure her freedom in the 19th century.
Style: disturbing, thought provoking, emotional, serious, realistic ...
Plot: slavery, human spirit, racism, life is a bitch, hopes, injustice, escapades, confined, society, american revolution, black history, black ...
Time: 18th century, 19th century
Place: south carolina, usa, africa, america, nova scotia
⇓ similarity ⇓
83%
Roots: The Next Generations (1979)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 840 min.
TV show
Story: The dramatization of Alex Haley's family line from post Civil War America to the writer's search for his roots.
Style: uplifting, captivating, thought provoking, sentimental, epic ...
Plot: racism, slavery, american history, black, black history, civil war, african american, slave, history lesson, interracial, black people, great war ...
Time: 19th century, 20th century, 60s, 1910s, 1880s
Place: africa, usa, alabama, tennessee
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
 7.3
 82K
Amistad (1997)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 155 min.
Story: In 1839, the slave ship Amistad set sail from Cuba to America. During the long trip, Cinque leads the slaves in an unprecedented uprising. They are then held prisoner in Connecticut, and their release becomes the subject of heated debate. Freed ...
Style: touching, emotional, period piece, epic, dramatic ...
Audience: adult
Plot: slavery, slave trade, rebellion, african american, courtroom, court, lawyer, president, legal, ship, idealism, civil war ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, 1800s, ancient times, 1840s ...
Place: africa, cuba, america, massachusetts, washington d.c. ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Free State of Jones (2016)
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War, Western
Country: USA, China
Duration: 139 min.
Story: In 1863, Mississippi farmer Newt Knight serves as a medic for the Confederate Army. Opposed to slavery, Knight would rather help the wounded than fight the Union. After his nephew dies in battle, Newt returns home to Jones County to safeguard his ...
Style: factual, intense, period piece, costume drama, captivating ...
Plot: american civil war, slavery, civil war, revolution, justice, u.s. civil war, racism, rebellion, wartime, vengeance, courage, society ...
Time: 19th century, year 2016, 1800s, ancient times, victorian era ...
Place: america, mississippi, louisiana
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 134 min.
Story: In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty as well as unexpected kindnesses Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In ...
Style: motivational, heartbreaking, disturbing, harsh, bleak ...
Audience: teens
Plot: slavery, racism, survival, civil rights, torture, african american, freedom, american history, life is a bitch, black history, interracial relations, kidnapping ...
Time: 19th century, year 2013, 2010s, victorian era, ancient times ...
Place: louisiana, new orleans, america, africa, usa ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
67%
Mama Flora's Family (1998)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 175 min.
TV show
Story: Based on Alex Haley's novel about a black matriarch in the early 20th century, this dramatic miniseries spotlights the struggle for social change. Cicely Tyson stars as Mama Flora, a woman determined to free her children from the bonds of ...
Style: realistic, serious, sincere, epic, captivating ...
Plot: black, family relations, racism, post war, legal, blaxploitation, life changing, false accusation, interracial relations, prejudice, couples, religions or cults ...
Time: edwardian era
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Movie in collections
North and South (1985)
Genre: Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: USA
Duration: 561 min.
TV show
Story: Two friends, one northern and one southern, struggle to maintain their friendship as events build towards the American Civil War.
Style: exciting, realistic, captivating, serious, atmospheric ...
Plot: american civil war, slavery, foe turned friend, cavalry, military, love and romance, friendship, espionage, slave, family feud, military base, civil war ...
Time: 19th century, 1800s, 1850s, 1840s, 1860s ...
Place: usa, new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 8.1
 490K
The Help (2011)
Genre: Drama
Country: USA, India
Duration: 146 min.
Story: Aibileen Clark is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's ...
Style: touching, inspirational, thought provoking, uplifting, feel good ...
Audience: girls' night, chick flick, teens, kids, date night ...
Plot: racism, friendship, discrimination, civil rights, writers, women, maid, master and servant, human spirit, life is a bitch, racial segregation, racial issues ...
Time: 60s, 2010s, year 2011, 1900s, 50s ...
Place: mississippi, usa, america, africa, southern usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Sally Hemings: An American Scandal (2000)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Duration: 251 min.
TV show
Story: Epic television miniseries exploring the complicated relationship of Thomas Jefferson and slave Sally Hemings, who conducted a 38 year love affair, spanning an ocean, ultimately producing children, grandchildren, and lots of controversy.
Style: sincere, realistic, serious, costume drama, historical drama ...
Plot: interracial romance, interracial relations, idealism, dishonesty, white male black female relationship, social differences, slave, true love, couples, head of state, society, plantation ...
Time: georgian era, 18th century, 1800s
Place: france, europe, paris france, virginia, washington d.c.
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
Hatfields & McCoys (2012)
Genre: Drama, History, Romance, War, Western
Country: USA
Duration: 290 min.
TV show
Story: Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy, close friends and comrades until near the end of the Civil War, return to their neighboring homes to increasing tensions, misunderstandings and resentments.
Style: tense, suspenseful, suspense, psychological, intense ...
Plot: civil war, american civil war, old west, gunfight, feud, revenge, violence spree, violence, murder, rivalry, ethnic conflict, vengeance ...
Time: 19th century, victorian era, 1800s, 1870s, 1890s ...
Place: kentucky, west virginia, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 120 min.
Story: Nat Turner, a former slave in America, leads a liberation movement in 1831 to free African-Americans in Virgina that results in a violent retaliation from whites.
Style: factual, stylized, intense, brutal, emotional ...
Plot: slavery, racism, civil war, rebellion, preacher, torture, suffering, poverty, preaching, rape, murder, abuse ...
Time: 19th century, year 2016, 2010s
Place: virginia, southern usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 8.1
 370K
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: UK, South Africa, Italy, USA
Duration: 121 min.
Story: Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the rest of the world. Hotel owner Paul Rusesabagina houses over a thousand refuges in his ...
Style: emotional, intense, informative, rough, political ...
Audience: chick flick
Plot: genocide, racism, war, hotel, against humanity, cruelty, civil war, refugee, politics, war crime, murder, un ...
Time: 20th century, year 2004, 90s, 2000s
Place: rwanda, africa, south africa, congo, somalia ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
60%
The Price of Sugar (2013)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: Netherlands, Germany, South Africa
Duration: 120 min.
Story: A story about two half-sisters life in the eighteenth century Suriname. There is Lynda, a white colonial and slave owner, and her slave Mini-Mini's. While Lynda is slowly embittered by the hard life in the colony, Mini-Mini gets a chance at ...
Style: captivating, touching, realistic, serious
Plot: slavery, half sister, plantation, imperialism, slave auction, first love, marriage, rebelliousness, society, life is a bitch, family relations, family problems ...
Time: 18th century
Place: latin america, caribbean
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 7.8
 144K
Glory (1989)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story: Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
Style: epic, inspirational, suspense, realistic, rough ...
Plot: american civil war, civil war, battles, slavery, freedom, military, racism, prejudice, war, black history, army, human spirit ...
Time: 19th century, 1800s, 20th century, year 1989, victorian era ...
Place: massachusetts, america, south carolina, georgia, africa ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
50%
When They See Us (2019)
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 296 min.
TV show
Story: Five teens from Harlem become trapped in a nightmare when they're falsely accused of a brutal attack in Central Park.
Style: suspense, captivating, detective, political, educational ...
Audience: teens, teen drama
Plot: investigation, legal, social injustice, black, criminal justice, black lives matter, black cast, racial injustice, black history, lgbtq, suspect, false accusation ...
Time: 80s, year 1989, 90s, 20th century, 2000s ...
Place: new york
⇓ similarity ⇓
50%
The Long Walk Home (1990)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: Two women, black and white, in 1955 Montgomery Alabama, must decide what they are going to do in response to the famous bus boycott lead by Martin Luther King.
Style: inspirational, independent film, touching, realistic, political ...
Audience: family outing
Plot: racism, civil rights, segregation, african american, friendship, women, ku klux klan, race issues, social commentary, black, racial segregation, boycott ...
Time: 1950s, year 1955, 20th century, 50s
Place: alabama, america, usa, southern usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
67%
Movie in collections
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1715
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20963
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5200
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2085
Feast of All Saints (2001)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: USA, Canada
Duration: 213 min.
Story: Set in nineteenth-century New Orleans, the story depicts the gens de couleur libre, or the Free People of Colour, a dazzling yet damned class caught between the world of white privilege and black oppression.
Style: emotional, sincere, touching, atmospheric, realistic ...
Plot: sexual content, interracial relations, racism, human spirit, social differences, plantation, injustice, family relations, hopes, life is a bitch, discrimination, parents and children ...
Time: 19th century, 1840s, victorian era
Place: new orleans, louisiana, haiti, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
The White Slave (2016)
Genre: History
Country: Colombia
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story: "The White Slave" because Blood is the Same Color, is a production which narrates the story of Victoria, a woman who everyone knows as a marchioness who arrived in America to marry a prosperous merchant from the region. However, the truth ...
Style: suspenseful, serious, captivating, touching, historical drama ...
Plot: interracial romance, interracial love, abusive relationship, black man white woman relationship, slave, adoption, slavery, racial issues, civil rights, spirituality, racism, sexism ...
Time: 19th century, 1800s
Place: colombia, spain
⇓ similarity ⇓
100%
 8.0
 442
King (1978)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 271 min.
TV show
Story: A 1978 TV miniseries about the career of Martin Luther King Jr. from his days as a Baptist minister in Atlanta in the early '50s until his assassination in 1968.
Style: captivating, thought provoking, serious, realistic, disturbing ...
Plot: civil rights, racism, biopic, african american, clergy, black, american history, rebel, oppression, government, american culture, politics ...
Time: 60s, 1950s, 20th century, 70s
Place: memphis, america, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
 7.3
 272K
Lincoln (2012)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, India
Duration: 150 min.
Story: A revealing drama that focuses on the 16th President's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish ...
Style: political, period piece, emotional, factual, epic ...
Audience: teens
Plot: president, civil war, politics, american civil war, american history, idealism, slavery, racism, head of state, courage, freedom, abraham lincoln ...
Time: 19th century, 1860s, year 2012, 2010s, 1800s ...
Place: washington d.c., usa, america
⇓ similarity ⇓
32%
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
Genre: Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story: In February, 1962, as the civil rights movement reaches Bayonne, Louisiana, a New York journalist arrives to interview Jane Pittman, who has just turned 110. She tells him her story dating back to her earliest memories before slavery ended. In ...
Style: political, epic, captivating, uplifting, thought provoking ...
Plot: civil rights, african american, racism, slavery, black, journalism, discrimination, blaxploitation, female protagonist, plantation, interracial relations, black lives matter ...
Time: 60s, 20th century, 19th century, 1890s, 1920s ...
Place: southern usa, america, louisiana, usa, texas ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
31%
Movie in collections
 7.5
 95K
Selma (2014)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: UK, France, USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story: "Selma," as in Alabama, the place where segregation in the South was at its worst, leading to a march that ended in violence, forcing a famous statement by President Lyndon B. Johnson that ultimately led to the signing of the Civil Rights ...
Style: political, thought provoking, inspirational, uplifting, sincere ...
Plot: racism, civil rights, politics, civil rights movement, african american, justice, biopic, racial discrimination, discrimination, idealism, injustice, righting the wronged ...
Time: 60s, year 2014, 20th century, 2010s, year 1964 ...
Place: alabama, indiana, usa, southern usa, birmingham alabama ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
The Blue and the Gray (1982)
Genre: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 381 min.
TV show
Story: This movie is also in existance as a 3 part miniseries. America just before and during the Civil War, as seen through the eyes of an artist correspondent. The plot revolves around the families of two sisters; Maggie Geyser and Evelyn Hale. The ...
Style: realistic, disturbing, captivating, serious, exciting ...
Plot: american civil war, military, civil war, battles, working class, family life, rebellion, society, cavalry, brother brother relationship, struggle, slave ...
Time: 19th century
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
 7.0
 448
Lincoln (1988)
Genre: Drama, History, War
Country: USA
Duration: 188 min.
TV show
Story: After arriving in Washington in 1861 after his election, Abraham Lincoln struggles with personal and political problems during his Presidency. Originally titled "Lincoln", the name of this miniseries was changed to "Gore Vidal's ...
Style: historical drama, captivating, talky, serious, realistic ...
Plot: american civil war, civil war, abraham lincoln, politics, knowledge, american politics, american history, usa president, assassination, usa history, idealism, human spirit ...
Time: 19th century, year 1865, 1860s
Place: usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
30%
 7.2
 119K
The Butler (2013)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story: A look at the life of Cecil Gaines who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made.
Style: touching, inspirational, political, emotional, factual ...
Audience: teens, date night
Plot: racism, civil rights, president, u.s. president, black history, butler, african american, injustice, father son relationship, white house, biopic, civil rights movement ...
Time: 80s, year 2013, 70s, 2010s, 60s ...
Place: washington d.c., usa, tennessee, america, indiana ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
50%
A Woman Called Moses (1978)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 240 min.
TV show
Story: A film about the life and career of the African American abolitionist and slave escape leader, Harriet Tubman.
Style: political, tension
Plot: slavery, african american, civil war, racism, black, black cast, blaxploitation, women, civil rights, liberation theology, american civil war, grief ...
Time: 19th century
Place: america, maryland
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
 7.7
 101K
Malcolm X (1992)
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 202 min.
Story: A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he became a Black Muslim and then a leader in the Nation of Islam. His assassination in 1965 left ...
Style: inspirational, political, factual, intense, stylized ...
Plot: civil rights, racism, politics, african american, black history, civil rights movement, assassination, biopic, islam, childhood, society, prison ...
Time: 20th century, year 1992, 90s, 60s, 50s ...
Place: usa, africa, new york, nebraska, indiana ...
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
The Rosa Parks Story (2002)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story: The story of the civil rights heroine whose refusal to obey racial bus segregation was just one of her acts in her fight for justice.
Style: thought provoking, uplifting, realistic, serious, political ...
Plot: african american, civil rights movement, civil rights, racism, racial segregation, black history, fighting the system, civil disobedience, rebellion, social differences, injustice, human spirit ...
Time: 50s, 20th century, year 1955, 1950s
Place: alabama, america, usa
⇓ similarity ⇓
29%
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