Justice for all: The best content that supports Black Lives Matter
20th Century Fox has released the trailer for The Hate U Give – an adaptation of Angie Thomas’s acclaimed young adult novel of the same name. Directed by George Tillman Jr., the film stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr – a young woman struggling to find balance between the two worlds of her elite and mostly white prep school and the poor, mostly black neighborhood where she lives. The tension between those two worlds is heightened when the character witnesses the fatal shooting of her best friend at the hands of a police officer and she’s forced to find her voice and stand up for what she believes in. The book was acclaimed upon release for approaching a difficult and sensitive topic with depth and complexity in a way that was accessible for young readers to understand. The New York Times bestseller was also celebrated for supporting Black Lives Matter and delivering a rousing story based within the movement. The film looks to be just as rousing and powerful with a supporting cast that includes Regina Hall (Scary Movie), Issa Rae (Insecure), Sabrina Carpenter (Horns), Common (Suicide Squad), and Anthony Mackie (Avengers: Infinity War). Check out the trailer for The Hate U Give below and then check in with our list of seven TV shows worth streaming online – and where to stream them – that also support Black Lives Matter.
Film Plot and Cast
The story follows Starr Carter as she moves between her neighborhood and the private school she attends. After witnessing the shooting of her childhood friend by a police officer, she must decide whether to speak out. The film premiered at TIFF in September 2018 and opened in theaters on October 5 of that year. Amandla Stenberg leads the cast as Starr. Russell Hornsby plays her father, with supporting turns from Algee Smith, KJ Apa, Lamar Johnson, and Drew Starkey. Stenberg later received the NAACP Image Award for her performance.
Book Acclaim and Context
Angie Thomas’s novel debuted at the top of the New York Times young adult list and stayed there for more than fifty weeks. By mid-2018 the book had sold over 850,000 copies. Readers and critics noted how the story made the realities of police violence and activism understandable to a younger audience without softening the subject. The American Library Association has listed the title among its most challenged books in several years, citing its language and themes.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
The film earned a 97 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its themes remain tied to ongoing conversations about policing and protest. The story’s presence on school reading lists and the repeated challenges it has faced show how the material continues to spark debate. The NAACP Image Award for Stenberg added industry recognition to the project’s reception.
Expansions of the Garden Heights Universe
Thomas returned to the same community in the 2021 prequel Concrete Rose, which centers on Maverick Carter seventeen years earlier. She has also published On the Come Up and launched the Nic Blake and the Remarkables fantasy series. These titles keep readers inside the world she created while exploring different characters and timelines.
Streaming Recommendations for BLM-Themed Content
Netflix introduced a dedicated Black Lives Matter collection in 2020. The selection includes documentaries and scripted series that examine racial injustice, such as 13th and When They See Us. The grouping is still accessible on the platform as a distinct category for viewers seeking related titles.
Reception and Audience Response
Audiences gave the film an A+ CinemaScore. PostTrak reported an 88 percent positive score. Metacritic recorded an 81 out of 100, reflecting broad critical approval. The numbers placed the adaptation among the better-reviewed studio releases of its year.
Author's Continued Work and Advocacy
Thomas has maintained a steady output of New York Times bestsellers. Her work has led to multiple adaptations and continued classroom use. The same titles that drew early praise have also drawn repeated challenges, keeping her name central to discussions about what stories reach young readers.
