Black history is something we should all take seriously. But when it comes to Black history in the entertainment industry, credit is due to some comedic legends like Richard Pryor as much as it is due to history-making Oscar winners like Sidney Poitier.
Black comedy movies have paved the way for legendary actors, comics and creatives like Tyler Perry, who may have started with Madea but has gone on to bring the Black experience to the large and small screen in dramatic form, as well as comedic, shedding light on stories that needed to be told. Some of the best Black comedy movies are responsible for timeless and hilarious catchphrases, social media gifs and memes. After generations of marginalization, in recent years Hollywood has finally begun to recognize the importance of Black mainstream comedies with Black leads; the 2017 movie Girls Trip raked in more than $100 million at the box office.
