As part of a commitment to amplify a variety of Black stories all year long, ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ have launched Black History Always on ESPN+ and Disney+, and Initiative 29 on Hulu. With a belief that recognizing Black history should not be contained to February, the three streamers will release new content on the 29th of each month throughout the year with pieces that are unique and authentic to each platform.
Hulu’s Initiative 29 will take the form of socially-conscious short-form content that will be six to eight minutes in length and available to view in Hulu’s Black Stories hub on Hulu’s YouTube Channel and via the Hulu Facebook page. This month’s short features Ría Thompson-Washington, a voting rights activist and organizer who is the democracy manager at the Center for Popular Democracy. Each month Hulu will add new classic films, nostalgic TV shows and documentaries to the growing library of Black programming featured in the permanent Black Stories Hub. This month’s additions include All of Us, Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Malcom X, and Brooklyn’s Finest.
Black History Always content on Disney+ will include new YouTube episodes with the first installment focusing on The Proud Family. The Disney+ “Celebrate Black Stories” collection will be featured on the homepage of the service all year long, highlighted by recent titles like Soul and Black Is King, beloved classics like Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Black Panther, and new stories such as The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
A Love Letter to Black Women, presented by The Undefeated on ESPN+ as the first Black History Always special, honors and celebrates the Black women who positively impact all of our lives.